“How can we forgive those who do not want to be forgiven? Our deepest desire is that the forgiveness we offer will be received. This mutuality between giving and receiving is what creates peace and harmony. But if our condition for giving forgiveness is that it will be received, we seldom will forgive! Forgiving the other is first and foremost an inner movement. It is an act that removes anger, bitterness, and the desire for revenge from our hearts and helps us to reclaim our human dignity. We cannot force those we want to forgive into accepting our forgiveness. They might not be able or willing do so. They may not even know or feel that they have wounded us.

The only people we can really change are ourselves. Forgiving others is first and foremost healing our own hearts” (Henri Nouwen).

Forgiveness is letting go of the expectation that the other person can fix what he or she did to you.

Forgiveness is the key to opening the locked door to the prison cell only to find that the prisoner inside was you.

Forgiveness breaks the cycle of continually drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.

The one who forgives little has been forgiven little, but the one who forgives much has been forgiven of much.

The one who understands how great the forgiveness of God really is will be the first to forgive others as often as possible.

Who do you need to forgive? Even the ones you know haven’t shown remorse or sorrow for their actions?

Is the one most in need of forgiveness from you the one staring at you in the mirror? Is it you?