If you really love someone, you need to be able to forgive them right?
Children are really good at this. If you are a parent, you know exactly what I am talking about. Little Johnny has done something and even though he is little and you know it was not intentional, you shouted at him. He cried and went away, with tears streaming down his cheeks. Within the next five minutes, you felt guilty, yet couldn’t take back your harsh words (sometimes called ‘mummy guilt’). You don’t know how to approach this situation, so you keep cooking dinner and try to ignore this situation.
After an hour, it is dinner time and you call li’l Johnny to come for dinner. He comes with a big smile on his face and gives you a hug. Aww! Your heart melts. With happiness and tears of joy, you hug him back and apologise for telling him off. He says, ‘it is ok mommy. I love you”.
How do you feel? All ooey-goey from the love this child has shown you?
As adults, we struggle to have the forgiving mindset that children do. Our egos become big and we take life way too seriously.
If you were upset with Johnny, I do understand you had a long day at work and the last thing you wanted was to repeat instructions to your child.
Your harsh reaction can be avoided. Believe me when I say that if you had taken a few seconds, bent down low to look into Johnny’s eyes and gave him instructions with a smile on your face, he would have listened to you.
Life is how you want to react.
It is that simple. Every moment of your life is your reaction to something you thought or something someone said or to what you did/didn’t do.
Choose ways to make it easy for yourself.
But always choose love and forgiveness because it can be the best way to heal yourself from whatever is upsetting you. That doesn’t mean you have to forget the event or the person who did it to you (because I know life can sometimes be brutal and events can happen which can scar you to a great extent). All I am suggesting is for you to be at peace with yourself and let go of the event, so it doesn’t hold you bondage without letting you live the best life you can.
Here’s to lots of love and kindness in your life.
