Stealing quotes

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong." ~Mahatma Gandhi

I saw this quote on an email auto-signature from my friend Stacie and it hit me like a ton of bricks when I read it! I had to keep reading and re-reading it, contemplating the way it applies to my life. I think all of us deal with forgiveness/unforgiveness issues in our lives, on one level or another, at all stages of our journey through this world.

It seems to me that it's easy to say you've forgiven someone, but it's much harder to actually believe it in the core of your being. There are a few people who have really hurt me in my life and I would like to be able to say that I have totally forgiven them, but I think it's a process and it definitely doesn't happen overnight. I believe forgiveness is something you have to work at, struggle with, and come to terms with in your own time. Lip service is one thing, but truly releasing that wrong that was done to you takes time, work and a conscious effort (especially when the person who wronged you doesn't show remorse) and sometimes you think that you shouldn't have to do so much work when the other person was the one who wronged you, but in the end....if you truly have forgiven, then you are the one who reaps the reward (and you learn soooo much about yourself and how strong you really are and have become in the process).

Any thoughts about forgiveness from the playing field of life?