Healing and Forgiveness: Overcoming the Pain of Holding onto Bitterness

Daily writing prompt

Are you holding a grudge? About?

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Believe it or not, I am prone to a grudge or two when someone slights me. Forgiveness, I’ve learned, is not always a straightforward path. It’s a struggle, a battle between letting go of resentment and holding onto the bitterness.

The biggest grudge I’ve ever held was regarding my stepfather. During my years with my mother and stepfather, I learned to believe that what he did was in my best interest and the family’s interest. As I grew, I knew that this was only sometimes the case. I realized that in my best interest, it often meant storing items in my room as though it were an attic, bad-mouthing me when my mother was not around, and badgering me into lying when the truth didn’t fit what he believed was true.

Even so, I do my best not to speak against him because I know it will hurt my mother to say how I truly feel. I communicate with my grandmother and others on the matter of advice when things become rough, but for now, I can’t bring myself to forgive my stepfather. One day, I will be able to forgive both him and myself, understanding that forgiving myself is just as important in this journey of healing.