One problem I was thinking over was the issue of forgiveness. It has religious connotations but as an act in itself it seems attractive. Where it becomes problematic is in what happens after forgiveness? Or also what happens before it? When it happens though maybe that is the key issue. There is an expectation sometimes unsaid that says now you are whole. That though is the trap. We are forever broken as human beings, maybe, maybe not? We also crave understanding. Forgiveness though shouldn’t come at such a price. Of course bells are supposed to be ringing for joy when forgiveness is given. When there is a claim that can be met.

But how can forgiveness miss these issues? When are we allowed to be who you are now and for as long as that lasts? Why do you need forgiveness? In a way you need acceptance more. Both forgiveness and acceptance are difficult because there is still an expectation there. Maybe that is where it goes wrong. It isn’t an act but a state. It should at the least be a state of being that doesn’t cloud who we are as all different. You can call people broken but humans are essentially what they are anyway. Essentially though it isn’t an act or a state but an idea. Ideas can sometimes set us into a trap of dogma.

Where we simply go through the motions saying we are broken. In this state we think forgiveness looks great and really it can be. It should be great. The idea itself should set us free when it happens or even when it doesn’t because isn’t it more important to forgive yourself? It makes sense if you do feel guilt about your state of mind or things you feel bad about. Truly though you are not an accumulation of every act you do. Think of the monotony of that idea. Of being every act. How absurd and in reality  (away from ideas) it is far from realistic within reason. We can only process so much of what we do anyway. A lot of it is repetitive and quite banal.

Forgiveness looks good on paper in some settings. But it shouldn’t be encapsulated with ideas of being broken or guilt. What does it matter? We need forgiveness regardless of what we have done in that we should see the best in people. But it is too removed from acceptance. It can become unhealthy because we then crave to be whole. We need to simply be functional and accepting of people but mostly ourselves. Forgiveness is truly great if it isn’t about making amends. It is really a clean slate. A reset. But we need a good reset when we need it, not for every little misdemeanour or error. We are surrounded by problems and it is important to try and solve them but it is also good to have working solutions that accept that there will always be problems regardless that are always upon us.

So really it isn’t a problem of who we are but ideas of who we should be. We should simply be ourselves first and foremost and be ready for working solutions to real problems rather than fantasies. Forgiveness and acceptance can be great when handled well. Otherwise we can become lost in unrealistic expectations.

We have to remember that there was a gift from God. Humans can’t repay that with confusion and unrealistic ideas. We are always dealing with the world we are in. That is what we have and all we have in the here and now.