Forgive and forget

 "I heard, oh, that you've been out and about with some other girl …"

He says, "What you heard is true, but I can’t stop thinkin' 'bout you and I"
I said, "I've been there too a few times (Taylor Swift, Style)

It’s easy to forgive and forget the actions of somebody when we see the same trait in ourselves. Actually, initially we often dislike a person so much because we are unwilling to perceive the same issues in us. By hating the other guy with the repulsive morals, we conveniently keep our own faults in the depths of our unconscious.

 

I remember the time when I retired from my job at the same time as my colleague and boss. We had our professional ups and downs over a couple of decades. There was a time when we competed, a time when he undermined me, a time when he protected me and a time when he encouraged me. That’s what life does to us. I was sitting opposite to him and thought to myself, “He is just like me. We are both well-meaning, driven, and external approval means the world to us.” How easy is it to forgive and forget when you have this insight.

 

The true eye-opener becomes when we realize, I did this too myself! As many of you know, I am a believer in wisdom yoga, the ability to see That in our daily interactions. The signs are everywhere. I am human, just like you, and by realizing, accepting and letting go of the stuff that is no longer meaningful to us we can embrace our true nature: we are That. I am turning 60 this summer. What an incredible gift to see human nature at work for so long and … hopefully … learning the lessons.