Forgiveness Helps Me Create and Sustain Relationships
Beginning with the Best Intentions
A significant part of my philosophy of life is that Love is an essential energy for the sustaining enjoyment of living. Without Love, life loses its savor and vibrancy. Let’s consider this in the context of interpersonal relationships. So much of our enjoyment of life is contingent on our ability to connect and interact with others.
When I meet someone new, my intention is to automatically think the best of the person. It does not matter what a person wears or looks like; they are beautiful in my eyes. My friends feel safe to be themselves around me because they know I think they are wonderful, just as they are. Of course this is the ideal and I am not always successful in living up to my ideals and I dare say that you will not always succeed in expressing your ideals either. When this happens we are blessed with the gift of Forgiveness, the forgiveness that is based on the energy of unconditional love.
Applying the Golden Rule of Forgiveness
Unconditional love is the Love that God is. God is Love according to scripture. Is it reasonable to believe that Love is God in action? Can you imagine the highest and purest form or expression of love, which is conveyed in the word agape, the Love of God? It is this Grace of God that we emulate when we practice the golden rule, to do to others as we would have them do to us.
I am gracious toward people because I am real enough to admit that I sometimes make mistakes. Good people make mistakes. I show grace to others the same way I would want them to show grace to me.
Sustaining Relationships
My intentions to forgive are a natural out growth of my love for people. All of us want to love and to be loved. That is why we humans tend to come together in community. It often feels as though our need for connection is “hard wired” into our electrochemical circuitry. By intending to see the best in people, I am attracted to others and they are attracted to me. When problems arise, as they do in virtually all relationships, through forgiveness, they become opportunities for us to expand our capacities to love, grow spiritually and to enrich our interactions. Our positive attitude draws friends, customers, co-workers and even family closer to us. Eventually we will find ourselves surrounded by smiling, happy and helpful people because those around us are attracted by our positive high regard for them. The better we think of people, the more positive our interactions become.
In conclusion, join with me today and affirm, “I choose to perceive everyone as the person I want them to be: loving, caring, and trustworthy. The way I feel about my friends and family empowers them to become better people”.
