It's all about forgiveness

Yesterday a workmate of mine and I had the pleasure of being driven by one humble and smiley old guy. We were doing some field work. There was something nice and calm about him. He'd greet us with a warm smile, every time and treat us with respect. As we went on with going about our days' business we discovered that he was celebrating his 25th wedding anniversary. We teased him a little, congratulated him and asked him what secret had kept him and his wife going.

Just to paraphrase,

"It’s forgiveness. When you learn to forgive each other, you put things behind you; the arguments, misunderstandings, shortcomings, you put it all behind you and move on. Harboring things is what poses a threat to ones marriage."

And that was it, that's all he had to say about the 25 years.

So I get home and find my sister watching a TBN program and one of the guests on the program was an old man, probably in his 80's. Chubby cheeks, bent back but steaming with youthfulness. The host asked him how long he had been married and he says 59 years and I am thinking, "what????!!!!!!" and later, "wooooow!!!!!"

He's asked what has kept them going and to my amazement he says,

"It's all about forgiveness."

And then he naughtily added, "Men, learn to keep your mouth shut and your wallet open for a successful marriage!" {I'll come back to this another day ;) }

I found interesting that I was hearing the same thing twice in almost the same way in one day.

It got me thinking, it may not just be about marriage but about every relationship in our lives.  For every relationship there will be ups and downs, good times and bad times, highs and lows but the thing that gets you over the bad, coming to think of it is forgiveness. I realised that the people in my life may not necessarily have to be there, but coz they have looked above and over the low end, here we are; together, helping each other on this journey. I know I have hurt my family and friends and vice versa, but I realise that they/I choose to let the 'not so good' slip to the back and let the good come forward and hold on to that as we try to make it all better. Indeed if we held on to bitterness, anger and unforgiveness then would we have anyone to love and trust and walk this sometimes rough road with?

For all of you in my life; my family, my friends that have chosen over the years to move past the pain, disappointment and I dont know what else, and chosen to let it pass so we could still have much more to celebrate, I thank you and I love you.

And if you are out there, poisoning yourself with unforgiveness I pray that somehow you'll learn to let it go and hold on to love and that through love you'll be able to forgive so you can be complete again....