Page 45 - WhoAreWe...

opportunity for learning and advancement, and in the long
run, a chance to share love.

Why do parents react in this way? It is often because they
are erroneously seeing their children as merely extensions
of themselves, not as individuals, and when the children err
it makes them feel as though they have erred and thus the
guilt and violent reaction. All parents need to understand
that their children are gifts from our creator, and that their
job is to guide them and help them to become their
individual selves, and not carbon copies of the parents.
They will then feel less trauma when a child errs and will
be more able to deal with it in a compassionate, loving way.

So if children grow up knowing that making mistakes is a
natural part of life, they are much more likely to own up
and be accountable. A lesson is learned and for the most
part, the mistake will not be repeated. This again, is a win-
win situation because everyone benefits and experiences
spiritual growth together as opposed to people just finding
another way to imagine that they are somehow superior to
the mistake-maker.

The dictionary defines forgiveness as when you stop
feeling angry or resentful toward someone for an offense,
flaw, or mistake. But how does one, who has experienced a
horrible trespass upon their life, get to the point where the
anger is subsided and resent has vanished? Do you blindly
just forgive and forget, or is there more to it? The answer
lies in the previously discussed concepts of condemnation
and understanding.

If someone does you a horrible wrong, your immediate
reaction is to want this person out of your life forever, and
also perhaps doing your best to make sure everyone knows
what a rotten person they are. But if you spend the time to

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