Forgiveness?

There are things in my life I wish I'd done differently. But then, I couldn't have done them differently without the knowledge that I have now. I need to forgive myself. I need those who were affected by my life choices to forgive me. I need to take my lessons and move on.

"Forgiving does not erase the bitter past. A healed memory is not a deleted memory. Instead, forgiving what we cannot forget creates a new way to remember. We change the memory of our past into a hope for our future." ~Lewis B. Smedes

There are things that others have done to me that have hurt me deeply. I have borne the pain of their deception, betrayal, evil, oversight, thoughtlessness...


There's not much I can do about the actions of others, but my reactions to them are within my control. Yes, I can feel HURT. Yes, I can feel BETRAYED. Yes, I can cry. But the thing that I most absolutely, positively CANNOT do is STOP living my life and being authentic. If someone else is messed up, that doesn't stop me from growing and evolving.

What do you want to grow up to be?

The Do-Over

Today I made mistakes. 

I hurt someone's feelings. 
I wasted time and money. 
I said something I shouldn't have. 
I lost my temper. 

I was impatient. I gained a pound. I overslept. I wished someone ill. I treated someone unfairly. 

I broke a promise. 

I didn't mean to. I wish I were perfect. 

Thankfully,  I get to start over again tomorrow. 

“Write it on your heart
that every day is the best day in the year.
He is rich who owns the day, and no one owns the day
who allows it to be invaded with fret and anxiety.

Finish every day and be done with it.
You have done what you could.
Some blunders and absurdities, no doubt crept in.
Forget them as soon as you can, tomorrow is a new day;
begin it well and serenely, with too high a spirit
to be cumbered with your old nonsense.

This new day is too dear,
with its hopes and invitations,
to waste a moment on the yesterdays.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson, Collected Poems and Translations

mis·take

  [mi-steyk]  Show IPA noun, verb, mis·took, 

mis·tak·en, mis·tak·ing.

noun

1.

an error in action, calculation, opinion, or judgment caused by 

poor reasoning, carelessness,insufficient knowledge, etc.

2.

a misunderstanding or misconception.

verb (used with object)

3.

to regard or identify wrongly as something or someone else: 

I mistook him for the mayor.

4.

to understand, interpret, or evaluate wrongly; 

misunderstand; misinterpret.

verb (used without object)

5.

to be in error.

It's so easy to make a mistake. If you're not making mistakes, you're not doing anything! You're not trying anything new or taking any risks. 

Humans make mistakes. I'm not saying that we shouldn't try to be better, but there isn't any value in beating yourself up for making a mistake. Just admit it, make amends and move on. 

I use the "undo" button on my computer all the time. It's not that way in real life. There is no "undo" button. You can't un-say something or un-hurt someone. There is no do-over button in life, but as long as there is breath, there is a new day. Do the right thing and embrace the