"What If Trauma Is Just Forgiveness You Couldn't Give?"
Children possess an extraordinary gift that adults often lose along the way: the ability to forgive instantly and move forward. Watch a child who was just scolded by their parent, within moments, they're ready to hug, talk, and reconnect. They don't harbor resentment or nurse grudges against the grown-ups they love most. This natural capacity for forgiveness serves as a powerful reminder of what we can reclaim in our own lives.
When Childhood Innocence Meets Breaking Points
Something shifts as children grow up. Even the most forgiving child can reach a breaking point where a single moment becomes permanently etched in their memory. Perhaps a parent lies to them, yells at them for an innocent mistake, or betrays their trust in what seems like a small way. For a child who has shown mercy countless times, this moment can feel monumental: a betrayal they cannot easily forgive.
These experiences freeze children in time, trapping them in that moment of hurt and disappointment. While the incident might seem insignificant to adults, it carries profound weight for the child. Without proper healing and a patient adult to guide them back to the present, these wounds often travel with them well into adulthood, shaping their relationships and self-perception in ways that can feel devastating.
The Healing Power of Forgiveness
True healing begins with forgiveness. This means forgiving the parts of yourself that couldn't stand up when you needed to. It means forgiving people who weren't enough, who couldn't give you what you needed when you needed it most. It means forgiving the instances where you felt completely powerless and small.
Forgiveness serves as a time machine that brings you back from the past to the present moment. When you forgive, you release the heavy burden you've been carrying, sometimes for years or even decades. The relief feels immediate and profound, like throwing ice onto a blazing fire and watching the flames of hatred extinguish instantly. Yes I actually imagined it like that.
Forgiveness as Self-Liberation
The most important truth about forgiveness is that you do it primarily for yourself, not for the other person. When you forgive the worst people in your life, those who hurt you most deeply. You free yourself to move forward. You create space for happiness, success, and peace to enter your life.
Forgiveness removes anger from your heart and mind. It untangles you from the emotional chains that have kept you bound to painful memories. By choosing to forgive, you prioritise your well-being and future over the pain of your past.
A Personal Journey to Freedom
My personal journey with forgiveness took twenty years. For two decades, I carried anger and resentment toward my father, who had been absent and unreliable for our family. The weight of that anger affected every aspect of my life until I finally chose to forgive him. That decision didn't excuse his behavior or minimize the pain he caused, but it freed me from the prison of resentment I had built around myself.
Moving Forward with Purpose
Forgiveness doesn't mean forgetting or excusing harmful behavior. It means choosing to release the emotional hold that past hurts have on your present life. When you forgive, you reclaim your power and redirect your energy toward building the life you deserve.
What if your forgiveness is the reason you are forgiven on the day of judgement?
