With the recent Tiger Woods apology, I was wondering how forgiving our society is.
I am a pretty forgiving person because no one is perfect and we all make mistakes. Some are big, some are small, but either way, we all have made mistakes, and will make more mistakes in the future. My Mom always says, “People forgive us for the things we do, so we have to forgive them for the things that they do.” I believe My Mom is right. I’m not perfect, and people love me in my imperfectness, so I have to do the same for others.
I think forgiveness is more for your own personal freedom. If you are a person that holds onto anger, you are really only hurting yourself. Forgiving doesn’t have to mean forgetting. You can remember what has happened to you, but you can chose to say, ” What that person did isn’t right, but it’s done now and I’m not going to let that get to me anymore.” Anger brings out the worst in me, and I want to be the best person that I can be - especially for my daughter.
I think in general, we are a pretty forgiving society. We might remember what happened, but are able to look into the future for that person to make things right. However, if it’s something that happens over and over again – a whole new set of rules apply.
I can’t imagine what it feels like for celebrities to have such personal things plastered all over the media. Especially since the media soaks up all the juicy gossip whether it’s true or not (I guess that’s why it’s called gossip). I would never want to be a celebrity for that reason!
Are you a forgiving person? Or do you hold onto a grudge for a long time? Don’t you love that picture of Puss n Boots?
{ 8 comments }
Yes, forgiveness is the key. Also, who are we to judge. I was always taught to keep my business in my own backyard.
This is just one more reason I am glad I subscribe to your blog. I’m having an awful time reconciling an email response I got from another blog on a comment I posted. I feel the blogger was rude to me for making a criticism on her blog.(I did give a response to that rudeness with a sharpness of my own.) I’m not usually a rude person and I don’t know if it is a discourtesy on my part to comment as I did or what exactly I did to get the mean response I got and it made me so angry to be called ridiculous but your blog has put it in better perspective for me… what is the point in packing a grudge – I don’t know her- maybe she is just having a bad day or a bad year or a bad life and maybe I blew this all out of proportion. Anyway, it made me feel terrible and I had a toss and turn night over it but I’m going to follow your advice and close the door on it. I’m enclosing the entire interaction so you see what happened on both sides
Here they are from last to first:
My last response:
You are correct and I do have a lot to learn . Your blog is yours to run as you choose, I said that. However, I am going to continue to subscribe to your blog, my dear, if only because I also want to learn what not to do. Good luck in all you do and God bless you. I bear you no ill will. I made what I thought was a valid point. One, I might add, that you did not address in your scathing reply to me.
Her response to my original comment:
Hello Sal ~ Gee, I find it interesting that if you’re a blogger, you didn’t even take the opportunity to leave a link to your blog so that others could find it. I was going to delete your comment, but decided to leave it so that other’s could see how ridiculous this comment is. It’s my blog, and I can run my contests in whatever manner I choose, and for whatever purposes I choose. Thanks for visiting. You do have a lot to learn.
My original comment:
I am a subscriber and I find it very depressing that you discriminate about who is eligible to try to win a ticket to the conference. I have only begun to study blogging and the possibility of making a living at it since my job was eliminated and I was terminated in January. I write quite well and I have a decent IQ, so, certainly, a conference such as this is the perfect place for a new or would be blogger like myself to gain an accurate overview of what successful blogging entails. Maybe you regard these conferences as an “old girls network” of contacts or perhaps you received no help when you started; anyway, it’s your choice, biased or not.
What the comment was about:
Link: http://moomettesmagnificents.com/blog/win-a-conference-pass-to-blogher-10-in-nyc-giveaway/
And, yes, Puss’n'Boots is adorable.
I agree that holding grudges only hurts you in the end by keeping those negative feelings inside. I was cheated on my by ex-husband and have forgiven him. I will never forget the hurt and devastation I felt when I first found out. I have let those feelings go and am moving on with my life.
Puss in Boots is awesome!! Forgiveness is so hard for some people. I’m focused on the Lord in my life and I believe that if we can’t forgive He can’t forgive us. Actually I don’t just believe that…it is written in the bible. 1 John 1:9 NIV “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” So I have a religious standpoint of it, and I believe like you, it is thereputic for youself to let go of the anger. I also agree that celeb’s do something wrong and the journalist have a field day b/c scandles sell in this country…it’s just how it works. Sad, pathetic as it is. I don’t care about the Tigar Woods deal…I know he’s a icon for kids and adults but maybe we should take a step back a realize no one on this earth is going to be without sin/fault because we all fall short..no matter how great a golf you are. I just pray he will find peace with God and his family (repent and NEVER do it again).
I forgive, but I don’t forget. I’ve been hurt and screwed over by a lot of people in my day. I know not to carry around the anger and hurt that it causes because that only hurts me more – and more often then not it doesn’t effect the person who hurt me one way or the other.
It’s like people who hate other people because they are a different nationality/gay/conservative/liberal/pro-choice/anti-choice/rich/poor/(insert something else that has nothing to do with people and they can’t change anyways) and it’s SUCH a waste of energy. Why waste your time worrying about things you have absolutely NO control over?? The hate isn’t destroying them, it destroys the hater (thank goodness).
Anyways, I could care less what Tiger Woods does or doesn’t do. As a fellow human being sharing this planet I can hold certain hopes for him, but that goes for everyone.
And, yes….I love the pic.
I don’t hold grudges. I am mad for a certain amount of time, but then ‘get over it.’ HOWEVER, I am one TO apologize and if someone holds one on me… I’m a wreck. I’m very insecure and I get physically sick and will dwell on it. Hate it!
And in regards to that picture of Puss N Boots… remember, there is also the unforgiving “shot” of him cleaning himself! Maybe this is his way of asking the public for forgiveness? LOL Did you purposely pick this up in reference to Tiger/sorry pussy cat? Just wondering?
I would probably forgive somebody for doing me wrong. It may take some time but I would. And as for Tiger, some people act like he cheated on the world, NO he cheated on his wife so I don’t understand why a public apology was necessary. It’s not like “the other women” didn’t know he was married so he didn’t really need to offer them anything in my opinion. They were hoping to steal him away and when each found out they were not the ONLY “other woman” then they wanted to make his life miserable. He didn’t cheat on me so his apology should have been between him and his wife only. Now his career is damaged all because his sponsors, golfing association, fans, and media felt it was their business to butt into his personal life, affair or no affair.