She moves forward and eats her fill. When she’s done, she walks away, clipping him once more with her paw. He waits, and then as she leaves the room, he resumes his full height and moves forward to eat the morsels she has left behind.
revenge
retaliation
vengeance
retribution
payback
reprisal
forgiveness
clemency
mercy
compassion
understanding
This post is for the Creative Buzz Hop on the theme of Revenge - is it sweet or bitter? Can we overcome it?
Holding onto a desire for revenge hurts. It hurts us. Even if we get revenge it generally doesn't make the pain go away, or the anger. Often all that happens when we wreak revenge or vent anger is that we feel more anger, more desire to hurt. As Nelson Mandela said, “As I walked out the door toward the gate that would lead to my freedom, I knew if I didn't leave my bitterness and hatred behind, I'd still be in prison.”
Forgiveness sometimes heals the forgiven, and always heals the forgiver. We should not and cannot force ourselves or someone else to forgive, but we can open ourselves to the possibility of forgiveness and allow healing. To forgive we also need to allow our own feelings, even if they are bitterness and hatred. Mandela didn't instantly forgive, and I've read it took him years to feel it. If we don't allow our own feelings, how can we let them go? Forgiveness has to include self-forgiveness. If we simply blame ourselves instead of the other person we are really still locked in the same way of thinking. The long term Benefits of Forgiveness far outweigh the momentary satisfaction of revenge.
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