The Doorway of Forgiveness

It is easy to get angry at someone for doing something wrong to us.  And sadly, it is all too easy to hate or dislike a culture or race that we don't understand or relate to.  Some of us might have weird neighbors.  And sometimes, whether at college or work or high-school or our synagogue or house-of-worship, there might be another person who handles things in a way that we just don't approve of or care for.

And so we write them off.  I mean, we are SO done with them!  After all, life is too short to put up with other people's garbage!  Right??

Well, maybe not.

It is so important to look past another person's behavior or differences, and to seek that other person's heart.  Do you really believe that the other person has a mean heart?  Do you really believe that his or her motivations are cruel and uncaring?

The Truth is, most people have hearts full of love.  And when we lower our defenses and realize that the actions that have upset us were not driven by malevolence… well… we find the Doorway of Forgiveness.  And on the other side of that door is a world of beauty and lightness-of-the-heart that is a gift to both the other person, and especially to our own Spirit.

Attached please find a Shu-Shine for the Torah portion of 'Bo': "The Doorway of Forgiveness".

May we all be blessed to see the hearts of those around us, to recognize the beauty of all people, and to find the doorway to forgive others their offenses — and to find the joy of an Open Heart that being a forgiving person brings.

With Love and a Smile,

~Shu