Forgiving is Smart for Your Heart

YOUR HEART IS SMART

Some days have bumps in them. You can get a bump on your knee or on our heart. Theresa broke Sarah's new pencil. Theresa says she didn't mean to, but Sarah feels sad. James didn't pick Ben for the team. Ben is mad at James.

Sarah and Ben could hold on to their hurt feelings. They could stay sad or mad. But they could also make another choice. They could let go. They could forgive.

FORGIVING is good for happy living. Your heart knows how to forgive. When you do it over and over, you even get better at it.



TO FORGIVE IS TO GIVE

The word GIVE is inside in the FORGIVE. Giving and forgiving are a lot alike. When you said, "It's okay," to Jasmine, you are giving her a gift. That gift is letting go of what she did or said. You give away your reason to be mad or hurt.

Forgiving does not mean that nothing happened. You know you could make Jasmine feel bad for what she did. But you want to help her to feel good and be good. You want to give her a new chance.



HOLDING ON TO HURT IS HARD-ON YOU!

Hurting people who hurt you may seem fair. But it really just keeps the hurt going. It traps both of you side a dark cloud of bad feelings. Forgiving opens your heart, so you can let out the hurt and let love shine in.

You can decide to go of your mad feelings. You can wish the other person well. You can pray for him. You can show him by your own good choices, how to be a good person.



FORGIVING IS FREEING

When you forgive, you don't pretend that nothing happened. You really did want Alexis to invited you to her party. You wanted the coach to let you play.

But you decided to forgive. You choose to let go of your her at feelings. You hope Alexis has a nice party. You cheer your teammates on.

You may never know why other people made they choices they did. They may never say they are sorry. Either way, you are free-free of the pinched bring to your heart.



LOOKING THROUGH ANOTHER'S EYES

People can hurt each other without even meaning it. Maybe the coach wanted to put Luis in the game, because he hadn't gotten a chance to play yet. Maybe Alexis didn't invite you because it was a family party.

If someone bothers you or hurt you, it's okay to let them know how you feel-in a kind and calm way.

The other person might explain why she did what she did. This gives you the chance to took at things through her eyes. Different people can see the same things very differently.



WHEN THE OTHERS ARE UNKIND

Forgiving doesn't mean you won't ever get hurt. Just as you can't stop the rain from falling, you can't keep from being hurt sometimes.

When someone hurts you, think before you do anything else. Ask your self : Why does it hurt? How much it hurt? Often, like the rain, it's only a sprinkle. You know you'll be fine soon.

If it hurts a lot, you need to do something. Tell other person to stop. If he doesn't stop, then leave. Ask someone bigger and wiser for help. Don't spend time with people who hurt you. you can be forgiving-and still walk away.



WHEN YOU MAKE A MISTAKE

What if you are the one who messed up and needs to be forgiven?

Sometimes, people will tell you to say, "I'm sorry." You've probably said it at times when you didn't mean it yet. It's okay to say it anyway, because your mind and heart can catch up later. But you have the power to say it and mean it at the very same time. You are not giving in or giving up-you are giving love.



FORGIVE YOURSELF

Admitting a mistake is hard. We like to be right. But no one gets it right all the time. think about all the things you do well every day. maybe you helped set the table without being asked. Or you were nice to the new kid at the bus stop.

There may be something you will never well. Mistakes and mess ups help you decided what to skip and what to keep in your life.



LIVING IS A FORGIVING WORLD

There are places in the world where nobody will be the first to forgive. And so the people to keep fighting with each other.

when you forgive, you bring peace to your heart and to those who around you. If everyone in every neighborhood everywhere would be forgiving, we could put an end to fighting and war. Forgive...and help bring peace to the world!

Sumber : Care notes for kids by Carol Ann Morrow