We all have been flipped over and harmed in many ways. Some people suffer indignity of their race, some of their culture, some suffer personal indignity. Running around all your life hating is clearly your right, but if you think it’s gonna make your life better, have a go at it. All you’re doing is giving them one more person they’ve harmed and the people who are harming you have been largely gone in their merry ways, so you’re hating really nobody but an idea.
Forgiveness is Healthy :
Individuals with forgiveness as a personality trait have been shown to have overall better physical health. In a study on relationships, regardless if someone was in a negative or positive relationship, their physical health seemed to be influenced at least partially by their level of forgiveness. Further, it’s been found that it provides : Healthier relationships, Greater spiritual and psychological well-being, Less anxiety, stress and hostility, Lower blood pressure, Fewer symptoms of depression, Stronger immune system, Improved heart health and Higher self-esteem.
Hating is Futile :
There is no “rank” of indignity. Forgiveness isn’t about your “enemy”. It’s about you. It’s about allowing you to bury your bugbear and move on in a way that allows you to live a happy, whole, meaningful life without the millstone of a life-consuming feeling forever destroying this, one and only life, you have on planet Earth. If you want to continue giving those people power over you, then you really are a slave to them.
But we all need a reason, some reason to pin-point our own shortcomings, so that we can have that solace in knowing that it isn’t our fault that we aren’t rich. We keep crying over the spoilt milk for that not knowing that it’s all over, there’s not much we can do hating them. Please don’t become so wrapped up in the wrong that you can’t enjoy the present.
Learn from the past :
Forgiveness has been in the mythology for a reason. Most world religions include teachings on the nature of forgiveness, and many of these teachings provide an underlying basis for many varying modern day traditions and practices of forgiveness. Some religious doctrines or philosophies place greater emphasis on the need for humans to find some sort of divine forgiveness for their own shortcomings, others place greater emphasis on the need for humans to practice forgiveness of one another, yet others make little or no distinction between human and divine forgiveness.
Would Gandhi have hated them had he been alive now? I think not, why don’t we follow his words instead. Hate most of times is so nonsensical and rabid. It’s a drug which clouds our judgement, we should let go of it. One of my favorite quotes of all time speaks to this issue. “everyone thinks forgiveness is a lovely idea until they have something to forgive.” So let go. You take the first step.