A Closer Look at Forgiveness

Imagine you are at an intersection. You are there with another vehicle.  Although it is your right-of-way, you wave for the other driver to go. They thank you with a wave in return and traffic continues.  You wave because you have patience and because you have humility. You forgo your privilege to move and give it to another. You forgo and forgive. In the eyes of the mind is selfishness.  In the mind is the belief that you are always first for attention. There is always an excuse for everyone else to not have the same perceived privilege. This limits others in the mind of the thinker. The mind confines others, limiting them by category or hierarchy. To forgive is to release them. To forgive is to pardon them. To forgive is to lift culpability and accusation from them, or from ourselves. To forgive is to return their innocence back to them.  To wave them through, accepting their road is not a hindrance to your own. 

Also, consider the following:

Observe silver;  silver bells, silverware, silver jewelry, silver anything.   We all know that silver's natural state of being is to be shiny and brilliant and illustrious.  Silver is known for its luster.  And yet, when silver gets exposed to the air, silver can tarnish.  No matter what silver you find in any antique shop, we're all aware that no matter how tarnished, we can polish silver back to its brilliant illustrious state, because that's how it works.  
 
We are the same way.  At our innate state of being, we are illustrious.  We are brilliant.  We are shiny.  And yet, just like silver, when we get exposed to elements of the world, we also tarnish.  Guilt tarnishes us.  Anger tarnishes us.  Regret and bitterness tarnishes us.  There are plenty of examples.   As opposed to silver, when we take on moments of tarnish, we believe it.  Every human is trained to believe that every ounce of tarnish they acquire is who they are.  And yet, I'm here to say that's not who you are!  

Look to another. Look to anyone.  Look within yourself.  See yourself outside what appears to be tarnish.  There it not one child born feeling guilty.  There is not one child born feeling angry.  These are things acquired once exposed to the world.   This is not our innate condition.  Overlook the tarnish to see only your inner illustrious elemental Self.  Like silver, illustriousness is the natural state for us also.  Whether fear, or anger, or arrogance, or deprecation, or doubt, or shame, no one's innate innocence can be tarnished. 

Look around, dare to see others stripped of what we perceive as tarnish.   See them outside of accusation.   See them innocent.   No matter the condition that caused a tarnish, see them innocent.  There is an inner innocence in all people, no matter the condition!  This is our unconditional innocence.   See any human without any ounce of guilt attached to them. See any human without any bit of cause for anger.   This is their brilliantly illustrious state of being.  Forgiveness is the ability to overlook any condition that may have caused tarnish and to acknowledge the natural innate beauty within.  Forgiveness is to compassionately see others outside of blame and guilt and darkness. 

Acknowledge the unconditional innocence of all people, that is the principle belief of forgiveness.  Forgiveness is a spiritual polish.