Forgiveness

Sunrise in Ashland, Oregon, April 9th.  photo by C. Schroeder, copyright 2013

Every new day offers us forgiveness.  We begin again.  We eat, we sleep, we work, we dream, we relate, we love, we do all sorts of things each day, and often things of which  we are ashamed.  It's an odd thing the human heart.  When we treat someone badly, we seem to try and justify it somehow, and the bad treatment goes on and gets worse.  All because we cannot say "I'm sorry." or "Please forgive me." 

I'm not sure what makes asking forgiveness, or forgiving such a difficult thing, but if there is any one thing that messes up the planet, it is our inability to release our resentments and to move forward. 

We are beloved.  It is often our uncertainty about that particular status that makes for difficulties with others.  I've been reading Henri Nouwen's book:  Life of the Beloved.  He talks about how our insecurities make things a competition.  Could we just see that we are beloved, and there is no competition when we are held within the love of God.  We are each beloved. When we can see each other in that context, we can relax.  Competitions and disagreements can ease.