EP 177 – Forgiveness

My parents weren’t perfect.

As a new parent, I knew I was going to be a better parent than my own.  I was going to be kinder, hug more, talk more, connect more, love more.

And my children would appreciate me, know that I was always fair, never ‘hate’ me, and never doubt my love for them.

Reality can be painful.  The realization that there is no such thing as a perfect parent, that no one had perfect parents, that you are not going to be the perfect parent and that no matter what, your children are going to take you for granted, think that you are unfair, ‘hate’ you for the decisions that you’ve made and will probably doubt how much you love them at some point, is all part of our maturing process.

Parenting is not easy.  We wing it, just like our parents did. 

This realization can lead us to forgiveness.

Sometimes there is a little to get past, sometimes there is a lot to forgive.  Sometimes the hurt and damage run very deep.  Hanging on to this ‘baggage’ is damaging.  It can damage your current and future relationships. 

Forgiveness is not forgetting.  It is awareness and it is moving forward. 

The past can never be re-written.  But sometimes forgiveness allows the future to be much brighter.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Forgive Mom and Dad Day:

In my teens, I wanted to change my parents.  As I got older, I have grown to accept them for who they were and are today. 

They were not perfect, but they have some really good qualities.  Now, I see them through the eyes of my children.  They love their grandparents, the way I loved mine. When I look back, I see that they don’t carry that same baggage when they see their grandparents as I do when I see them as my parents. They greet my parents with excitement and enthusiasm.  They laugh and joke around.   Now, so can I.

Forgiveness is essential to living a healthy life.

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