Forgiveness and Letting Go

Whether it's forgiving myself or someone else, I've discovered it's a practice.

I love practice. Have I mentioned that before? Forgiveness is built into practice.

1. I plan to do something. (Intention)
2. I make an effort to do it. (Action)
3. It doesn't go the way I think it "should" go. (Judgment)
4. I let go of my ideas about what should have happened. (Mercy)
5. I reset or re-envision my intention. (Resilience)
6. Repeat.

Watching myself around forgiveness, I have found an unfortunate tendency to get stuck on step three. I judge. I try to let go, but it really shouldn't have gone the way it did and it's really not my fault, but if I'd only done it differently…

The image that came to mind is of carrying around a stone. I set it down for seconds and then, compulsively pick it up again.

Forgiveness becomes a practice of letting it go and letting it go and letting it go.

Angel Sighting

I first heard Mary Johnson's story on the CBS news. A short time later, I was delighted to watch it from a different angle as as a trailer promoting one of my favorite art experiments, The SMOOCH Project.



Mary teaches me that "unforgivable" may not exist.