#27
#27. Forgiveness is a gift we give ourselves.
I read that somewhere.
Early in my recovery, I realized that part of what needed fixing in my life was a resentment I'd held against my abusive parents for 30 years. All those years, when I let myself think about it at all, I told myself "All I want is an apology."
At some point, I realized that I was probably never going to get an apology, my resentment was costing me an immense amount of psychic energy, and someday my Dad was going to die...and I'd still need to forgive.
So, after 30 years of "no contact," forgiveness was offered and a faltering apology was returned back to me. But at that point...an apology was really no longer needed. Good thing too, because it really wasn't much of an apology!
But the awesome part was: I really felt better! A weight was lifted off my soul.
Our resentments hurt no one but ourselves.