Steemit Engagement Challenge S12W4 | Decide, act and release.

Hello friends!!

image source

Have you heard that those who refused to forgive are prisoners of themselves? Don't worry I will tell you more

What does forgiveness mean to you?

Generally because we are human, we have different backgrounds and characters therefore there will be offence when we come together either as friends, colleagues, family or whatever the case maybe.

So because there will be offence hence the need for forgiveness. Forgiveness is accepting that someone offended you but decide to let it go by acting as if it never happened.

In forgiveness you let go of the hurt you feel when offended and relate with the person who offended you as though nothing ever happened.

Forgiveness also means letting go of the past and moving forward!, Forgiveness means to have mercy on a person's offence, to grant pardon.

Forgiveness has different meanings depending on the situation of the offence.

In your childhood, do you remember your parents forgiving you for any mischief? Tell us about it

source

Yes I remember a number of times my parents forgave me of my mistakes and mischief.

Growing up as a child I played alot so I made alot of mistakes most times and I got beaten for it. Are you surprised? Well over here in my country, parents are allowed to discipline their kids and one way they do so is through flogging.

Usually during Christmas holidays, my family normally travel down to my home town to celebrate Christmas. On this particular year, my mum bought a beautiful food flask, She specifically said this food flask was for her and my Dad and no other person is allowed to touch it.

We travelled with the food flask and in it she fished my dad's food and hers into it. While we the children had our own smaller flask.

On the day of Christmas, as it was the custom of my parents to share food to extended family on Christmas day, my mum decided to dish the food into her honourable food flask and asked me to go and deliver it to a relative.

She asked me to collect the food flask while coming back. I decided not to go alone. I went with my mischievous cousins, we played on our way going. One of my cousins asked that he helped me carry the food flask since I have been carrying it for a long time.

I thought he was been nice, he told me to throw the flask to him that he would catch it. I did and guess what? He didn't catch it. He intentionally moved away from the flask so it will fall down. The flask fell on the floor broke and all the food poured away.

I sat on the floor and cried. The cousin ran away went home and reported to my mum that I broke the flask. I could not come home that day because I didn't know how to face my mum.

My mum came looking for me in the evening because she waited and I wasn't coming home. She saw me somewhere still crying. She told me to stop crying and took me home.

I knew how my mum valued the flask so I thought she was going to discipline me, to my surprise, she didn't even talk about it. To me that was the height of forgiveness.

Do you consider yourself to be a grudging person?

No I don't consider my self a grudging person.
The word grudge in my opinion simply means to hold back past hurt and refusing to forgive.

I feel anyone who holds grudge against people do themselves more hurt because this things build up in their heart which in turns deprives them of their freedom making them prisoners.

I make it a point of duty to always try to forgive no matter what a person does to me even though it might be hard at first but I let it go for my own sake.

Tell us a brief story or anecdote, where it was your turn to ask for forgiveness or, on the contrary, where you were asked for forgiveness

Am definitely not a saint so sometimes I hurt other people but I promise you that it wasn't an intentional act.

source

I have had situations where I was the one asking for forgiveness saying sorry because I have hurt someone.

Few months ago, my mum called me asking me to come home for no just reason, I asked her why she needed me home and she didn't say, infact at a point she began using commanding tunes and unkind words on me. She made some annoying statements to me.

I got so upset and ended the call on her. I called my sister to ask if she was aware of what my mum was upto and my sister seem to be on my mum's side. Infact she told me to obey at all cost. I told her I won't and she also started using harsh words too. I got angry and shouted at her and told her I would never call her again and I ended the call.

My mum called back I picked and warned her not to call me again. Days and weeks past my mum and sister never called back.

One day, it was mother's day celebration in their church and I heard about it. I sort for ways to call and appreciate my mum and sister since they are mum's but I couldn't remembering our last conversation.

I summoned courage and called my mum, asked her to forgive me for shouting at her and ending the call on her, I told her am sorry. I also did same with my sister. They both forgave me and we talked and laughed for long.

I was so happy that I had the boldness to do that. Infact my sister told me she wasn't expecting me to call them to appreciate them since we were fighting.

Let me invite my friends @mile16 @lhorgic @sahmie