Forgiveness

In our pursuit of improvement and acheiving our personal best the principle of forgiveness cannot be overlooked.  One of my favorite stories, that illustrates the various facets associated with forgiveness, is the story of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, written by Victor Hugo.  My first introduction to this wonderful story was through the movie.  I highly recommend becoming familiar with this story through the book, opera, or video...  Warning: It will make you cry and will motivate you to excellence!
 
If one is to progress... one must become better than one was before...which requires change.  Change requires that we recognize areas for improvement and the mistakes we have made along our way.  Improvement also requires that we learn from those mistakes, rectify any wrongs, and do not repeat them again.  For this positive change to take full effect in our lives we are required to forgive.  In the book, The Miracle of Forgiveness it says, "He who will not forgive others breaks down the bridge over which he himself must travel."  Forgiving others can be difficult, but just as difficult, if not more, is the requirement to forgive ourselves. 

Another one of my favorite stories, which illustrates the spiritual changes that take effect when we practice forgiveness to its fullest is found in The Book of Alma Chapter 36  Alma shares the gamut of his feelings and records, "And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain! Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy."

Forgiveness truly is an amazing gift, that we must both give and receive, which helps us grow in our pursuit of becoming our personal best.  I know from personal experience the feeling of joy that Alma describes when a burden has been lifted off my shoulders, or the weighty thoughts have been eased from my mind.  I invite readers to feel free to share feelings and how Forgiveness has assisted in your own pursuit of personal bests.