Dr. Kimberley Taylor's video: IMAGINE FORGIVENESS

TODAY I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A TOPIC THAT HAS BEEN IN THE NEWS RECENTLY AND CERTAINLY ONE THAT I AM DEALING WITH IN MY OWN LIFE. THE ISSUE IS FORGIVENESS. HOW DO WE FORGIVE OTHERS WHO HAVE HURT US AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT THAT WE TRY? JUST RECENTLY WE HAVE HEARD HOW THE FAMILY MEMBERS OF THOSE SLAIN IN CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA REACHED OUT AND FORGAVE THE MAN WHO KILLED THEIR LOVED ONES. LISTENING TO THEM I WAS IN AWE OF THEIR ABILITY TO GIVE THEIR FORGIVENESS TO SOMEONE WHO HAD COMMITTED SUCH A BRUTAL, AND SENSELESS CRIME AGAINST THESE INNOCENT PEOPLE. WHAT THE FAMILY MEMBERS DID WAS HEROIC, HONORABLE, AND YES, INSPIRING. COULD YOU HAVE DONE THAT, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO FIND IT IN YOUR HEART TO FORGIVE? I AM SURE IN THE LONG RUN IT WILL HELP THE FAMILY MEMBERS HEAL, BUT BY GIVING FORGIVENESS THEY HAVE NOW HELPED, ON A COLLECTIVE LEVEL, AN ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO BEGIN THE HEALING PROCESS. FORGIVENESS, WHILE AN INCREDIBLE CONCEPT, CAN BE DIFFICULT TO GIVE. AND FOR ANYONE DEALING WITH THE HURT, PAIN, BETRAYAL OR DISAPPOINTMENT FROM ANOTHER, IT CAN BE A LONG JOURNEY TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL. BUT, WHAT I HAVE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY IS IT IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THAT THE WORK WE DO TO REACH FORGIVENESS IS REALLY TO RELEASE OURSELVES FROM THE VERY UNHEALTHY BOND THAT WILL DESTROY US IF WE HOLD ONTO OUR PAIN. A QUOTE FROM MAX LUCADO READS – “FORGIVENESS IS UNLOCKING THE DOOR TO SET SOMEONE FREE AND REALIZING YOU WERE THE PRISONER”. WHILE THE CHALLENGE OF PUTTING THE PAST HURT BEHIND US AND MOVING ON CAN FEEL ENORMOUS, I TRULY BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO LEARN TO FORGIVE, NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO FORGET OR PARDON THE OFFENSE, BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO CHOOSE TO SET OURSELVES FREE OF THE PAIN AND HURT SO THAT IT DOES NOT TURN US INTO SOMEONE WE WERE NOT MEANT TO BE. TODAY MY GUEST IS PSYCHOLOGIST AND AUTHOR DR. JULIET ROHDE-BROWN AND SHE HAS WRITTEN THE BOOK IMAGINE FORGIVENESS. SHE IS HERE TO TALK ABOUT FORGIVENESS AND HOW TO APPLY IT IN OUR LIVES.