Page 84-They didn't teach this in high school...how to forgive

I would like to say I have pretty worn shoes. So I would like to suggest some clean socks for this brief journey today.

I felt inspired by something I read that the Dalai Lama wrote. It made me think about my life and what details it entails to this moment. It made me re think my approach, it may me think everyone's approach. Thou we all mean well we are all figuring this out as we go, no matter how well or ill prepared we are. There is no right or wrong just perception. We are all giving certain god given tools and some we develop about our journey. I claim to be nothing of nothing so it gives me a canvas to build anything. I am not going to tie myself to anything other that what's important to me, just as you would I would hope. I am a simple man, boy, creature of this planet. I am a speck among billions of others. Only together can we attest to become something greater. Only alone can we sit back and admire what we have created or destroyed. This is just a speck of what follows through this brain of mine, this heart of mine. It is always for sale for whom ever is buying. We are all for sale and want to be bought by someone else that wants to collect the specks we are.

In the course of our lives we often make misguided decisions that harm ourselves or others. We do this out of ignorance. We think that a certain mode of behavior will bring us happiness when in fact it brings us suffering. Feeling of self-righteous anger and the urge for revenge may sometimes lead us to harm others in the mistaken conviction that is will benefit us and bring us some form of happiness. Actually, it creates suffering not only for the victims of our deeds but also for us. However justified we may feel, doing others harm, even in the name of revenge, severely disturbs our own peace of mind and creates conditions for own suffering. Instead of revenge, it is the notion of forgiveness that should be encouraged and developed.

If we truly act out of concern for others' well being we will recognize the potential impact of our actions on others and order our conduct accordingly. When we become angry, we stop being compassionate, loving, generous, forgiving, tolerant, and patient altogether. We deprive ourselves of the very things that happiness consists of. Anger immediately destroys our critical faculties, it tends toward rage, spite, hatred and malice. Although we may have experienced deep hurt in the past, with the development of patience and tolerance it is possible to let of our sense of anger and resentment. If we analyze the situation it is possible to realize that the past is the past, that continuing to feel anger and hatred serves no purpose. They do not change the situation, but just give us rise to further disturbance within our minds and cause our continued unhappiness. Of course we may still remembered what happen, but forgetting and forgiving are two different things. There's nothing wrong with simply remembering what happened, but with the development of forgiveness, it's possible to let go of the negative feelings associated with what took place. 

Forgiveness is not about letting of the perpetrator of some wrong, it is about freeing the victim. If you can forgive, you no longer have to concern yourself with who did what to you and how you are going to make them pay for it. You will be free of the entire burden. Cause if you think about it when you do eventually forgive you will look back at yourself and say man I wasted all that time and energy carry that burden.

I'm out of steam and have a pounding headache. Thank you for your time cause its the most precious gift we carry. So please spray the shoes and return them where you found them. I have many steps that await me. Goodnight.