This week: Forgiveness Edited by: Jeff  
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"Only a real risk tests the reality of a belief."
-- C.S. Lewis
About The Editor: Greetings! My name is Jeff and I'm one of your regular editors for the official Spiritual Newsletter! I've been a member of Writing.com since 2003, and have edited more than 400 newsletters across the site during that time. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me via email or the handy feedback field at the bottom of this newsletter! 
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Forgiveness
With the end of the calendar year upon us, it's one of those times where many of us find ourselves looking to turn the page and start a new chapter of our lives. There's nothing inherently mystical or magical about January 1, 2024 as compared to December 31, 2023. But, for a lot of us, it feels new. A fresh start; a chance to embark upon a new path while leaving the old one behind.
When people think of New Years' resolutions, a lot of them revolve around goals or ideals we want to accomplish. In January there's an entire contest on the site ("Dear Me: Official WDC Contest" ) devoted to this. Whether your desire is to get in shape, write more words, spend more time with family, or whatever, January 1st is a point on the calendar where a lot of people say, "Okay, now I'm really going to commit to this thing!"
And all of that is great. But, with the new year coming up, I'd also encourage you to look at a fresh start through a more emotional/spiritual lens. Forgiveness is something that is harder and harder to come by, and yet something that I think the world needs now more than ever.
From a practical standpoint, forgiveness can be defined as "to give up resentment of, or claim to requital for." It's the setting aside of negative feelings or the desire for vengeance. A lot of therapists, counselors, psychologists, etc. will qualify that by saying that doesn't mean you have to accept what was done to you, or reconcile with the offender, or forget what happened... but forgiveness is a choice to let go of your hurt and grievance in the name of moving forward.
Forgiveness is really hard, especially if the wounds are deep. But it's also the first step on a path to being in a mentally healthier place for yourself. Carrying grudges and resentments and seeking to exact punishment for perceived wrongs can really damage your own mental health and emotional stability. And while there are certainly big, difficult issues for which forgiveness really needs to be wrestled with, there's also a lack of forgiveness going around for more minor offenses that many of us hold onto just as tightly.
Maybe this is the perfect time of year... when things are fresh and new, and the world is alive with possibility... to look at the things you're holding onto and to start to forgive the things that aren't as acutely painful anymore. Maybe it's time to resolve to have that restorative conversation with a friend or family member you haven't talked to in years, or to let your coworker off the hook for that one time they threw you under the bus in a meeting, or to finally forgive yourself for something that you've been beating yourself up for over the past year or more.
New Year's is one of my favorite holidays, precisely because it's a fresh start. And while I'm definitely making positive resolutions around my writing and my physical health, I'm also making some positive resolutions around my mental and emotional health... and that starts with figuring out some of the baggage I've been carrying around, and whether forgiveness might be the first step to setting that stuff down and having a lighter load to carry from here on out.
Is there anything in your life that you need to work on forgiving in the new year?
Until next time,
Jeff
If you're interested in checking out my work:
"New & Noteworthy Things" | "Blogocentric Formulations"
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EXCERPT: So, I guess I'll start by stating how fortunate I feel to be out of the hospital. Although we do not know what is wrong, at least we know all is not wrong. This may sound funny when looked at only on the surface, but when you dig a little deeper, you can see what all there is to be thankful for.
EXCERPT: The sickly sun, still tight bound in its Solstice swaddling, struggled to add seasoning to the insipid sky, which, long bleached by astringent Autumn gales of all it's rich Summer hue, was now weakly Wintery. The brittle beauty of a bitter frost, all intricate iced edged leaves and finger freezing stillness, was punctuated here and there, by the flutter of finches, bright amongst the berries.
EXCERPT: Jasmine sat in her bed, reading a book, when her phone rang. She took it from the lamp stand beside her bed and answered.
“Hello?” she asked.
“Hi, Jasmine,” the voice on the other end replied.
“Oh. Nice to hear from you again, Kate. Something I can do for you?”
“Yeah, Jasmine. I’d like you to come to church with me on Sunday.”
Jasmine bolted upright and exclaimed in disbelief, “What? No way! I’m too busy around here. And besides, I’ve got my own church to go to.”
EXCERPT: Although I have never equated the word “empathy” with joy as in the above quote, I can identify with empathy through pain, rejection, and loss.
I was recently informed that someone whose faith I admire and respect will be sharing devotions in a language other than my own. My first reaction was rejection, then sadness. But then I remembered that when God takes something out of our lives, He sometimes replaces it with a gift He can use for His purpose. The gift He gave me is empathy.
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Feedback from "Spiritual Newsletter (November 29, 2023)" about advent and other holidays:
Jeff, thank you for sharing this information about the month of December. Some I knew, some I did not, but put together this way provides a more rounded picture of the holiday season. Very unbiased and very informative. THANK YOU!
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Spiritual: December 27, 2023 Issue [#12339]
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