I’ve learned that people will forget what you
said, people will forget what you did, but people
will never forget how you made them feel.
―Maya Angelou
Love
is in the small details as much as the grand gestures.
It is in being fully present to friends and loved ones,
listening with great attention, a smile, a kind word,
helping others and infusing daily actions with love and
care. At its core, love is ultimately about meaningful
connection. Because our lives are not perfect, nor pain
free, practicing forgiveness is important in helping us
remove obstacles to our awareness of love’s presence.
Forgiveness can create a bridge back to people we’ve
lost connection with or help us heal our hearts and
perhaps others. But what exactly is forgiveness?
Forgiveness is a conscious, willful choice to turn away
from the pain, hurt, resentment and wish for revenge
that arises from a betrayal, offense, injustice or deep
hurt. Forgiveness involves a willingness to accept the
past, to see the transgression and transgressor in a
larger context and to replace negative feelings with
compassion and tolerance.
Building practices of love and forgiveness is ultimately
very personal. We offer various
practices to help you get started. There are also
many
books,
films,
workshops, Web sites, and organizations where you can
find ways to practice love and forgiveness.
The initial campaign film, The Mystery of Love, features
several stories that illustrate practices of love from
special friendships that have transcended differences
and great loss to a community of bikers who have chosen
to help abused children. Check out
The Mystery of Love as well as personal reflection
questions and
suggestions for putting love into action.
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