Forgiveness

Forgiveness is a virtue.  People are often recommended to forgive others.  Usually in disputes, disagreements, fights between individuals or even societies, the side that is asked or encouraged to forgive thinks they are asked to do so for the sake of the other side.  After all, they are the one who is forgiving and the other side is the object of the act of being forgiven.  That is not the case though.  We do it for ourselves.  If we do not forgive and we hold grudges, we suffer.  We continue to let the other person have power and control over how we feel and live.  It is for our own peace of mind and well-being that we need to practice forgiveness.   Even after knowing this, some people choose to not forgive and be angry and mad at the other person.  Why would they do so if they know this decision would hurt themselves?  I think I know.  If they forgive the other person, they are acknowledging that their decision not to forgive  was wrong in the past, maybe for years.  They rather be loyal to their ego and not be proven wrong at the cost of their own happiness in the next minute, hour, days, and years to come.  If they forgive, it means they have lost days, months, years being angry before they forgave.  They rather not lose an angry past than gain a happy present and future.  So, they hold on to their grudges, and they get sadder, angrier, and more bitter as time passes them by, and it gets harder and harder to let go of what they had held on to for years.  Forgive sooner than later, it is much easier.  If it is late, forgive yourself for not realizing this earlier.  Better late than never.  Forgive yourself.