Forgiveness

     Time takes away the sharpness of everything. It dulls pain, ruins mountains, destroys buildings, and given enough of it, wears down the pyramids. Forgiveness is only possible when coupled with time. Acceptance of the wrong committed then to ignore that event and move on and away from it. You reject that portion of the past in order to embrace the future.
     This is hardest thing to do in life, especially after betrayal by someone close. Those that are burned yet can set aside pride and anger to forgive have giant portions of character. Acquittal is similar but not the same. Acquitting means that you acknowledge the action took place but are willing to move on from that; you have not excused or overlooked actions, merely accepted them. That is only the first part of forgiveness. The next is to not use that past action against the abuser.

     Grace and mercy associate closely with forgiveness because none of them are possibly earned by those that have committed wrong. It is an internal act by the overseer, the one acted against. Unfortunately, these words carry excessively heavy religious baggage and are difficult to use outside of a religious context.       
     Compassion sympathizers with the evil doer. Clemency heightens this tenderness of heart. Absolution removes the wrong from mind and memory. Those that forgive freely and honestly are champions of life. The few that truly posses this ability have either never suffered or suffered so much that another small wrong holds no weight against them.
     To be forgiven is an overwhelming comfort since it frees you from your mistake. Cherish that feeling and seek out those you have wronged to wiped the smears of the past away from damaged relationships.

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Agatha Tyche