Okay, so I’ve been working on this whole forgiveness thing, right? I thought I had it down, but NO! It turns out that I was only forgiving people for what they did, but not forgiving or accepting people for who they are. Before I go any further, let me make it clear that by accepting, I am in no way referring to putting up with people’s crap! By accept, I mean, if I have chosen to keep a person in my life after they’ve wronged me, I cannot hold what’s part of their personality against them! However, this is exactly what I was doing.
A clear sign that you have not forgiven a person and do not accept that person for who they are is when just this person’s presence alone makes you irritable. I’m talking, if you hear this person breathing, chewing, or even the way they walk is annoying! Another way to know if this is you is if this person does anything, I mean anything wrong, it sends you over the edge. If this is you, darling, you do not forgive this person, or, like me, you don’t accept this person for who they are.
How many times do we love/like people for who we want them to be? We love them for the potential that we think we see in them or with them. Do yourself a favor and don’t do this! There is a fine line between seeing the best in someone and creating your idea of the best in someone. Don’t get me wrong, it’s okay to uplift someone. It’s okay to try to encourage people to be the best that they can be. However, it’s the best that “they can be,” not the best that you want them to be. The song says, “I’m giving you the best that I’ve got.” Yes, a lot of times a person really could be doing better, and other times, how they are and who they are really is all you’re ever gonna get from them.
Yes, if this individual is someone close to you, like a sibling or significant other, this can be a hard pill to swallow. If you can’t swallow that pill, I suggest you chew because living your life with false expectations of others only hurts you. It sets you up to be disappointed and heartbroken. Don’t miss out on your blessings over a path someone else has chosen!