New Happy Year

[John]

Hello All,
Happy New Year.
I wish (inner and outer) Peace, Love, and 4Giveness for each of you - and to all of those around you.

I am making a resolution this year to try to live each day, as if each day could be my last.
I've studied forgiveness for well over 35 years. I've practiced. I'm pretty good at it. I teach it.
I'm quite imperfect, as are we all.

Anywho, to make good on something I've put off too long with most everybody: Today, I ask you to forgive me.
If you have nothing big to forgive me for, please forgive me for any little things you can think of.
If you can not think of anything specific, please forgive me in general and be willing to forgive specifically if anything comes to mind.
If you are unable to forgive me today, please just be willing to forgive me at some time in the future.
I'm quite imperfect, as are we all.

If the idea of forgiving me is kind of drawing a blank, well maybe - just for the fun of it - forgive someone or something, anyone or anything, today - even if it is "just" yourself.

Perhaps some of us will have further conversation about forgiveness. Maybe not.
I just didn't want today to go by without having said this.
New Happy Year to each and all.
Peace,
John

[MaineShark]

I forgive you for talking about forgiveness so much!

In all seriousness, though, thanks for what you do.  For every individual who abandons just one revenge fantasy or somesuch because of what you've said or done, the world is a little bit better place...

[Kat Kanning]

What a nice thread.

I'm sorry, John, I can't think of anything to forgive  you for.

[Jim Johnson]

Can I get some sort of guaranty that it will never happen again?

[John]

Perhaps.

[John]

...Perhaps some of us will have further conversation about forgiveness.
...Peace,
John

If anyone has issues with me and has not yet expressed them privately - to me, that might be a good start.

[Jim Johnson]

Well OK... maybe.

[Kat Kanning]

Now Johnson, no way I can forgive that guy. 

[John]

"maybe" is good.

[Jim Johnson]

I hate Now Johnson too.   

[Kat Kanning]

Later Johnson is OK 

[K neth]

Past Johnson was very nice about forgiving me for painting a portrait of Lauren.

[Jim Johnson]

Forgiving is easy when there is none necessary.

[MaineShark]

Forgiving is easy when there is none necessary.

Compared to the energy folks put into dreaming about revenge, dwelling on every last little thing that was done to them and who did it, and all that... forgiving is just plain easy.

[Jim Johnson]

I think vengeful people are missing some pieces of the puzzle.  Forgiveness is a greater understanding and requires a little extra work.