Have you ever wondered why is it so difficult to forgive someone who has wronged you in any way? There are people who do not seem to bother about the hurt and pain that they may seem to receive from people around them. After all pain is our response to people and pain is not given by others to us. Then there are people who can carry the memories of a negative incident for a complete lifetime so much that it can affect their physical health and moods to a very large extent. Is it not easy to forgive and forget? Or is it for some the most difficult thing to do? Why the difference?

There was once a shopkeeper in a little village of Southern India who used to sell coconuts to people. Once while selling his product to a rich trader, he was asked by the trader – Can you lend me a few coconuts for a day? I will return them to you in the evening. The shopkeeper replied – I can sell the coconuts to you at a lower rate if you wish but I cannot lend them to you. The trader needed the coconuts just for a function as decoration. In the same manner, at times we are like this shopkeeper. We indulge in trade in our relationships. We want something in return for everything we give. We want love in return of love. We want happiness when we give happiness to someone. When this does not happen we are hurt and cannot forget what happened. Also, another energy that we often transmit to others is one of begging. We beg for peace, love and joy all the time. What that means is we are always asking for positivity from others, which will not always come. Suppose you are a part of a group of friends with different personalities and a lot of positive and negative characteristics which everyone possesses. Do you always get what you expect from each one? No. So how does one handle this?

(To be continued tomorrow …)