In honor of American Thanksgiving President Obama has pardoned a 20 kg turkey named Courage. This light-hearted ritual got me thinking about forgiveness in our own lives.
I’ll bet there’s some turkey in your life that you need to pardon.
Someone you’ve disagreed with
Someone who said or did something that hurt you
Someone who disappointed you
The problem with carrying around unresolved grudges is that it weighs you down – just like one too many servings at the holiday table.
Forgiveness is an act for yourself – not for the other person.
So go ahead and pardon this person in your heart. You’ll feel lighter and create more space for positive thoughts, ideas and actions.
In the Buddhist tradition, here’s a little loving kindness mediation that might help:
If anyone has hurt me or harmed me knowingly or unknowingly in thought, word or dead, I freely forgive them.
And I ask too for forgiveness if I have hurt anyone or harmed anyone knowingly or unknowingly in thought, word or deed.
Feel free to share your comments.
One of the big midlife questions that women often ask is
Who am I?
The answer, or at least a part of the answer, may be simpler than you think. All it takes is a willingness to letting yourself go. Not in a what-not-to-wear way or giving up exercise or combing your hair. No I mean let yourself go toward who you really are.
What would it be like if you took a bold step and let the world see who you really are – the loveable, little bit quirky, warts and all you?
Chances are there are parts of yourself that you hide, perhaps parts of yourself that even you don’t know particularly well. Parts of yourself that you think other people can’t handle. We all are a little afraid that if we really show up as ourselves, people might not like us. That fear of rejection is a common condition. So we stand on the edge of being ourselves and look over, and wonder what it might be like.
Consider this…a really juicy life, a genuine, sincere one, is waiting for you when you finally take the plunge. For the most part, we love people who have the courage and confidence to be themselves. And yes, it might be true that not everyone will love you. Perhaps that’s a fair trade-off compared to a generic acceptance of a watered down version of yourself.
If you believe that we each have a unique role to play in the great game of life, then you can’t fully contribute your part if you’re unwilling to stand up and be yourself. Author Shakti Gawain says that the universe will reward you for taking risks on its behalf.
Go on. Take a risk. Be more of yourself. I for one will be cheering when you make the leap.
