Monday, February 04, 2008

fragrance


"Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heal that has crushed it."
Mark Twain
The relief of a downpour on a hot muggy day
A silent inner smile releasing pent up tension
a sighing collapse after admitting wrongdoing
a merciful sunrise
anew
the quiet interlude emanating harmony
the stillness after a decision to let go
the magic of recognizing a part of ourselves we may never have known had we not made a mistake.
Forgiveness is gift we often neglect to give ourselves.
We are quick to forgive others, so why do we hesitate to forgive ourselves?
hmmm....i also wonder how long it will take the New England Patriots to forgive themselves?

5 comments:

Rainbow dreams said...

I wonder if we are slow to forgive ourselves because we know the real us...we know our flaws better than others do and that we're not always as nice as we'd like to believe we are...

plus we are the only ones we can genuinely give expectations to that can possibly ever be met...if others fail us in our expectations, then we're not responsible or accountable - if we fail to meet our own expectations the we haven't been as accountable or responsible as we'd hoped...
I don't know - just pondering..

Rainbow dreams said...

but I do think we should be kinder to ourselves than we are... and forgive ourselves much more - perhaps it goes along with loving ourselves more too...

Marja said...

the relief of downpour. I can nearly feel it. Beautiful
Oh how difficult it is to forgive. We set expectations and don't live up to them. It is so important to allow ourself to make mistakes.
Sorry i again come back to Learning disabilities. Society learned my child that it is bad to make mistakes. I had a hell of a job to teach my child that he is wonderful and he often said "You say that because you are my mum"
Our competitive world celebrates the winners and has a very shortminded idee of winning.
Sorry still feel a bit angry about this

awareness said...

ooops...i had written a comment here, but obviously it didn't stick!

Katie...I don't think most people have a clue who they really are nor do they care to know. maybe it's because they don't want to see the ugly side, or perhaps it's because they haven't woken up and are just going thru the motions in life. So, a facade goes up and it covers up the real deal.
That dude Socrates said "an unexamined life is not worth living"......and yet, most don't. too scary. a life blip in the universe and not even captured by the individual who supposedly lived it.
We live in a big bizarre world where it's fine to spend many brain cells percolating over the life of Britney Spears, or Paris Hilton or a whole bunch of others. weird?!

The way I see it, forgiveness and love are intertwined. It sure would be difficult to forgive ourselves if we didn't like who we are.

Marja....your example of your son clarifies it well. We do live in a society where mistakes or "difference of perspective" is not acceptable. There are rules and guidelines that society holds up.....tight parameters in the school system too which students are to live and learn and work within. And my God, if you can march to that drumbeat, well we'll never forgive you.
How appalling eh?

Harry Chapin wrote a song entitled "Flowers are Red," about a kid in school who arrives as a creative energetic kid who has a broad view....a colour outside of the lines kind of kid. The story in the song tells of how this is browbeaten out of him until he begins to tow the line and loses his own identity. If I can find it, I'll send you a link to the song.

Shaz said...

I agree with Katie whole heartedly xx