Feels like growing young….
I’m into something real,
that has my heart grinning surprised,
my world a little rocked
by this wild, brave, fear-defying adventure
i’ve been wilding for my whole life long,
and didn’t have a clue,
so simple and subversive,
this business of forgiveness,
that frees me up when I go there
instead of numbing or running (oh how often I do),
trusting instead Love to hold me while I feel,
and when it rushes me, the hurt and anger,
I release a river of forgiveness
and the pain is swept away
and even though I’m still on the ground where I sat down earlier,
hearing the birds still making their music
and a plane humming faraway in the sky overhead
as if nothing has changed,
somehow everything has
because I’ve come uncontaminated,
heart gone light
where the knot burned hot before
and I feel soft like a child
waking up to the morning of all that is good.
Yeah, it’s that good, forgiveness,
and maybe I’m the last to know
that it is freedom,
this art,
this gift we give ourselves.
Kind of feels like growing young.
I know you know.
But we forget, don’t we,
because sometimes we carry the hurt too long
(‘cause it can feel good to nurse the anger)
and we forget how heavy
until it metastasizes
and we’re caught up in the symptoms
instead of pulling up the root.
I’ve been practicing it alot, lately, as if an art,
like a yoga practice,
and, holy wow, what a sweet difference it’s making.
Just had to sing about it some:)
Thanks for riding along.
I wish I could send each of you some handmade love;
thanks so much for your life-giving comments on last week’s post.
They’re dear to my heart.
My smiling son drew Bren’s name from the bag.
I’ll be sending some handmade goodness up to her in Canada
and if you get a chance to stop by her blog,
she’s a painterly artist with a beautiful soul.
“Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself.”
-T.D. Jakes
(from Let it Go)
forgiveness can be hard. but i find asking that asking for forgiveness is way harder than the act of forgiving.
Anger and resentment are SUCH heavy things to carry around. Dropping them to the ground is so liberating.
Gorgeous post – and your frilled tulip fills me with joy (and a little lust).
Jennifer, I’m so glad that you have found freedom from forgiveness.
It almost sounds like you’ve been tapping into grace. The memory of the hurt remains but with forgiveness it takes the sting away.
Hugs,
JB
Jennifer I bite into your words like the most satisfying food and then go back for more. What a gift you have. How lucky I am to have found you.
Jennifer I bite into your words like the most satisfying food and then go back for more. What a gift you have. How lucky I am to have found you.
Forgiveness is a beautiful thing. When last year, my Word was TRUST, I learned so much. I practiced the forgiveness that freed me. I forgave the way I asked to be forgiven. I felt the freedom of forgiveness through my whole body and soul. It is rather wonderful, isn’t it? I found it easier to forgive others than it was to forgive myself for the past and for mistakes. But practice made it much easier! Love and sunshine to you, jennifer! Kath
I don’t know when I started to realize that forgiveness opens up the heart and your world to so many possibilities of joy and release. It’s been a long while and I’ve never looked back. It doesn’t mean that what someone did was all right because most often it is not. Nor does it mean the transgression is forgotten, for it may leave lasting scars. But in forgiving, we release the grip and open ourselves to moving into the light. You first image at the top of the post grabbed me the second I saw it and filled my heart with joy. Sending hugs and love this sunny morning (here, at least!)
Forgiveness is one of the most powerful tools for a happy life I know…and one of the most challenging for most of us. So glad you have found that space to live in. Inspiring to all of us 🙂
What powerful words you have shared here. And a sweet fragrance.
Lucky me! Looking forward to your surprise treasures in my mailbox
Walking the road of forgiveness is the only way I know to put me back together it’s a road I understand and you’ve expressed it so powerfully in this post Jen
Your photographs are infused with the freedom of forgiveness, of being who you are, of loving who you are and where you are now. Beautiful. Thank you! ♥
Forgiveness feels like letting go to me. When I realize that I have no need to forgive, that some part of me has already done so, it feels even better. Turning that compassion toward myself is the best of all.
Hurt is the one emotion that hangs in there the longest…when I spent almost a full year working hard on forgiving an ex-boyfriend it totally changed my life and the following year, 2010 was the best year of my life! In the process I ended up forgiving the a few others too..so yes, it is totally freeing!! Congratulations…cuz a lot of people refuse to forgive…they don’t realize it effects them not the other person!
Thank you for blessing my morning with sweet words and your incomparable spirit!
Love love love! Forgiveness sets us free beginning with ourselves!
So wonderful to hear how the simple act of forgiveness is infusing you with such lightness. The past two weeks I have been actively working through forgiveness as well. The simple act of showing up consciously daily for me to focus on this is so liberating. Blessings! xo
PS congratulations to Bren, fellow Canadian. I checked her her website. Lovely, lovely artwork she does.
Yes! It is all so, so good … love your sharing and your new banner. Hope you have a especially beautiful weekend.
Forgiveness really does give freedom! x
So we are on this forgiveness path together…it is freeing.
So we are on this forgiveness path together…it is freeing.