Forgiveness means, "to release an expectation that is causing you to suffer."
This definition is the best definition of forgiveness I've ever encountered and is attributed to Mary Hayes Grieco, an author and forgiveness teacher in St. Paul, Minnesota.
I happened upon materials from Mary's course on forgiveness that I attended last year. Regardless of the season, your stage of life, or any relationship matters you may be encountering at this very moment, please write down this definition of forgiveness.
When we carry perpetual resentment and feelings of ill-will toward someone or something, the suffering that happens is within us. No matter how severely you were wronged, your suffering is multiplied if forgiveness is absent.
Forgiveness never means that what happened is okay. It means you've made a conscious decision to free yourself of the pain caused by destructive emotions such as resentment, anger, and rage.
If you're interested in being guided through a process that helps you discover and release expectations that are causing you to suffer, contact [email protected].