"Maybe today, we can put the past away.."

"Change is the law of life.
And those who look only to the past are certain to miss the future."

(John F. Kennedy)

Have you done your annual "spring cleaning" yet this year? Or, maybe for some, for the first time in a couple of years? No, I'm not speaking the language of dustpans, mops and windex; rather, I'm referring to most hidden and personal place of all--our memories.
Tonight we're finally giving the boot to the skeletons that live in our closets. No longer will we allow ourselves to live under a constant cloud of pain, regret, confusion and suffering, because we're going to take two steps forward and discover the warmth of the sun on our faces. That's right. We are allowing ourselves to cut ties with familiarity, leave "THEN" in the past, and to find comfort in the "NOW". Grab a hold of your life's reigns and embark with me on a journey that so many people are too afraid to take--the path from our pasts to the present. Reality. The long-awaited road to recovery.
I have an old cell phone from years ago, filled with saved messages from many individuals... Friends, family members, crushes and boyfriends. Messages of uplifting words, sadness, tragic events, inside jokes, flattery and romance. I've continued to keep all of the positive messages.. The meaningful ones.. But tonight, I realized how foolish it was to continue holding onto "notes" of adoration, from a brief time in my life that ended all too long ago. I've been contemplating erasing them for awhile.. and tonight, I took that step. Thank you, dignity, for kicking in after all this time..
On a broader note, I've discovered how healing and beautiful it feels to forgive bad occurrences in my life.. To forgive, and in doing so, to be able to finally be free from the weight of hatred and resentment. I've found it to be a very enlightening experience.. Personal, but uplifting.
Forgiveness is one of the hardest things to find in both ourselves and in others.. Forgiveness is also one of the most difficult things to give away. But once you find the strength and the courage to be able to forgive.. It is one of the most beautiful and rewarding feelings in the world. Welcome, freedom.
I urge you to find it in yourselves to forgive the past. Forgive yourselves for mistakes made.. We are all, equally, only human, and it is absolutely in our nature to mess up. In that sense, forgive other people who have made mistakes that have impacted you in a negative way. Forgive friends for stupid fights, and apologize when you may have been to blame. After all, hands are much nicer to hold than grudges.
Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. I can't stress it enough.
(This isn't to say that you should become best friends with everyone who has done wrong to you, and I'm not telling you that you have to like every person you meet. That's just impossible! My message is just about forgiveness. You may not like someone, but don't let particular incidents/altercations hold you down. Be better than that. Be stronger than hatred. Be free from pain. Be happy.)