Forgiveness

Matthew 6:14-15

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Holding on to hurts

and resentments

carves a channel

that erodes our wellbeing

Like a river charting its course

or a stream burrowing its way

through a valley

slowly

persistently

making its mark

leaving a scar

gradually deepening

claiming more and more space

until it becomes

a part of the landscape

nigh impossible to reroute

or diminish

or change course.

Making the work

of forgiveness

all the harder.

And all the while

those from whom 

we withhold forgiveness

retain power over us

and continue to wound

perhaps in blissful ignorance

and almost certainly

without a care.

And our hurt is compunded

and the fire of our resentment

is stoked and banked up

by our inability

our refusal

to forgive.

All the more senseless

when release

is within our power

and healing 

is within our reach.

Forgiveness

a gift for ourselves.