Once I heard of an exercise where you think of everyone you’ve wronged and everyone who has wronged you, and you mentally ask for forgiveness as well as forgive the others. I did it. It took me a while! At the time I had a new neighbor who didn’t even know me, but she chose to pick a war with me and make my life miserable by doing very odd, un-neighborly things. After the forgiveness exercise I was sitting at my desk when I had an impulse to suddenly go outside. There I saw the neighbor getting ready to take a walk. I walked over to her, reached out my hand, and asked “Truce?" Then we spoke for the first time. By the end of our talk she hugged me. After that, “coincidentally," many other things that caused stressed in my daily life immediately vanished.
Right now virtually everyone in the world is experiencing more stress than they ever have before. Many people are suffering and sick from the virus, and it has taken many lives. Essential workers are worn out, but continuing to do their jobs with strength and courage. Families have been home with one another for a couple months. Parents are struggling to educate their children at home. Many jobs have been lost, and so many people are concerned about money and the future. Relationships have been strained.
At the same time, science is showing us that our planet is healing in some ways after many years of mistreatment and pollution. Perhaps we should ask our earth to forgive us? Now more than ever it is vital that we practice forgiveness. Our future can never be made worse by forgiving, and asking for forgiveness from those we love.