"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
The power of feelings. So strong are they, that they stay with us for the rest of our lives. We may forget the things that people said or did to us, but we will never forget how they made us feel with their words and actions.
Perhaps that's why bitterness is so hard to let go of. Time may pass, and you may even forget what happened, but the feelings of injustice and of being done wrong by remain unchanged. As much as you can't remember what happened in the past, you still look on with contempt and anger, those nagging feelings persisting even though you're unable to recall their origin.
I guess that's why forgiveness is so hard; it's not easy letting go of feelings. Perhaps that's why it's such an admirable trait; it's not easy to forget, let alone forgive. Those who manage to find it in their hearts to forgive those who have wronged them possess incredible strength and warmth beyond words, a truly humbling and respectable trait that most strive for, but few attain.
But is it always wise to forgive? Sometimes people commit acts of atrocity and spew forth vitriolic words that don't even deserve a second thought of forgiveness. Not even the sincerest apology would change anything; the cut's been made, the hurt's been felt and the scar is never going to fade. Second chances are simply out of the question.
Words and actions fade with the passage of time, but feelings always stay the same. Remember that the next time you're about to say or do something that could profoundly affect someone in ways you never imagined, for they will remember and carry it with them for the rest of their lives. And forgiveness isn't necessarily an option, either.
