When someone mistreats me, I get mad, naturally.  The important decision comes later.  I can choose to relive that wrong in my mind, and until I forgive the other person, that’s what I tend to do whenever I have to deal with him again.  My anger comes back and I am likely to say or do something that makes the situation worse.  Anger and hate get us stuck in the past.  When I forgive the other person, I free my mind of the anger and that frees my mind to find ways to make things better for the future.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean that I forget what has happened or that I have to trust the wrongdoer.  I don’t even have to understand why he treated me that way.  I only need to recognize that the bad behavior was a human shortcoming and that I can’t change the past.  I don’t really care if I am helping the other person by forgiving him.  I forgive so that I can have a happier future.