Betrayed by a friend: should you forgive or not??

Philippines
January 27, 2011 3:17am CST
my cousin's best friend is also her workmate so they are always together, going home together etc....( every thing best friends do...) My cousin is a graphic artist so she's on the creative side and her best friend is also a graphic artist so they were tasked by their boss/project manager to create a design that they could present to their client...long story short, her best friend stole her design and was credited for "creating it". Now her friend is asking for forgiveness and said that she just wants their boss' approval because she really is super duper in love with him (the best friend's exact words!).I told her to not forgive the friend but she's a bit cold to the idea and said that that woman has been her friend since high school but she admits that she really was hurt and felt betrayed by what happened. Is there really a thing such as second chance in friendship??
3 people like this
23 responses
• Saudi Arabia
28 Jan 11
A second chance in friendship may not be a bad idea, but this is much easier said than done. Being betrayed by someone we have given our trust is truly one painful experience. However, there are certain aspects in one's friendship that may eventually help us learn to forgive. Your cousin must have thought of the deep friendship she has built years with her best friend through the years. She may have chosen to let go of her hurt instead and would like to give their friendship another chance. Probably, another betrayal from the same best friend next time, would be more difficult to forgive though.
1 person likes this
@sswallace21 (1824)
• United States
28 Jan 11
The women needs to come clean to her boss. This would resolve the issue. If they are true friends forgivenss will come in time. I think there is a second chance rule. To err is human.
@amirev777 (4117)
• India
17 Feb 11
Hi Your friend must be in a terrible dilemma. One one side you have a friend who has been your best buddy since high school and on other side there is this betrayer who stole your design. So its not really easy to take a decision. I think your friend should give a thought to forgiving her friend. If she does i am sure that her friend will feel so much repentant, that she will certainly not think of betraying her again.
@katie0 (5203)
• Japan
21 Feb 11
Sure, to forgive them but in time, it will take a long time. I had a cousin, she had a problem I think and is a b***. She even hit on her sister's boyfriend. She and I were close since childhood and then she hit on my boyfriend. I didn't want for her to do the second time. I think it took 8 years to forgive her, but I have. But is she my friend? No we don't even speak. Why? Because she is not a friend, she can't be, to anyone. What I'm saying yes, forgive in your heart but put this girl away from you.
@aris76 (13)
• Indonesia
29 Jan 11
I've ever been betrayed by my friend. He took away our bussiness money. We're still friend but I never get a bussiness with him anymore. Looking for a friend is more difficult than looking for an enemy.
• Philippines
28 Jan 11
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• Philippines
28 Jan 11
ermm...thanks but i don't think you could earn here by answering in single sentences need to make your answers longer ^_^
@lvaldean (1612)
• United States
28 Jan 11
There are a few different things to consider in this, not just the friendship. 1. This is a career issue that can affect your cousins future, her ability to find positions and earn a living. This goes beyond just friendship. 2. There is an issue of creative theft, again going beyond friendship into the realm of professional dishonesty. 3. Finally there is the issue of the friendship itself, can your cousin forgive her friend for the betrayal because she did it for "love". Friends are people we choose to have in our lives because we trust them with our secrets and value their participation in our lives. We generally build this trust over time. Humans are not perfect, not a single one of us. If there is honest remorse then I would think forgiveness should be possible, but the trust issue might be another thing altogether. Their working relationship should likely change. I would think her friend should find a way to come clean to the boss and give credit for the creative ideas to your cousin, or at least make certain the credit is shared. In the end it will be up to your cousin how she handles this situation. It is always difficult to set aside long-term friendships, or relationships of any kind.
@dodo19 (47317)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
28 Jan 11
I do think that there is a time and place for forgiveness, but I really do not think that this is one of them. Your cousin's clearly betrayed her. I don't care what her reason is. What your cousin's friend did is just wrong. Pure and simple. No matter the reason, it's just down right wrong and mean. If I were your cousin, I wouldn't forgive her.
@jdyrj777 (6530)
• United States
29 Jan 11
Forgiveness is always recomended. At least your cousin understands why her friend and co-worker done wht she did. However if her friend was truely trusting her she would have talked to her about it and established a agreement between them two first.
@eLsMarie (4345)
• Philippines
28 Jan 11
I was betrayed by my friend before. It took a bit time before I was really able to forgive him. My decision of finally forgiving him took much effort on my part because it's something emotional. What he did contributed much pain to me and to the rest of our friends. I'm glad that we're okay. I forgave him after two years.
@jennyze (7028)
• Indonesia
28 Jan 11
Well, since she is her best friend she can forgive her. This is the first time that her friend hurt her. But she does not need to forget that her friend once betrayed her, so she should be careful with anything that she needs to protect from being stolen again. I was betrayed by my best friend once, I forgave her and we are friend again. But I am cautious of her now in telling her something.
@jordq7 (576)
• Philippines
29 Jan 11
Hi there jacrosealbert!!! I do believe in second chances.But giving a second chance to someone that have hurt you before is too risky.You are opening your self for a chance to be hurt again and being hurt for the second time is really very frustrating that you will feel that you can never trust again. Based on my understanding on the situation of your cousin and her friend, I think her friend did that for love, to gain attention from someone she admire.Well love can really make people blind sometimes and the worst is that people are force to do something stupid sometimes just becoz of this thing called love.Maybe this is what your cousin is thinking that is why she is willing to give her friend a second chance for their friendship.
• Philippines
28 Jan 11
Everything is possible when it comes to friendship. Though what your cousin's best friend did sounds unforgivable, the fact that they're friends really make it easy for her to forgive her best friend.
@margeryann (1845)
• United States
28 Jan 11
They have to work together so I would forgive her but I would make sure not to trust her with anything. I wouldn't let her know anything anymore so she can't still my ideas. I would keep my ideas to myself since she proved that she couldn't be trusted.
@nanayangel (7879)
• Philippines
27 Jan 11
Hi there Jac Rose Albert! Yes, I believe that friends, especially, deserves second chance. Maybe it's true, that she really wants to impress their boss. I would suggest to your friend though to tell her best friend to just ask for help if she needs it. I don't think that the trust would be there again, fully. I guess it would be hard to give your complete trust once you experienced being betrayed by that person. Time might heal the wound but the scar will always remain.
@fabjonah (140)
• Philippines
27 Jan 11
i've been into the situation, a betrayal with my best friend also. its very painful coz you've been almost entrusted your life to him. you almost shared everything especially your secrets, etc. we've been war for almost 3years now... we haven't seen each other yet. i don't know what will happen if one day we'll cross our ways. i don't know if i already forgiven him, just that i don't want to see him anymore. though the wounds were healed already but the scars are still there that reminds me of what he has done to me. its very difficult to be in this situation, its been said that your best friend is your worst enemy... maybe that's true!
@sender621 (14894)
• United States
27 Jan 11
Forgiveness is part of a healing process that we go through as human beings in this world. Being betrayed by a friend can be a very painful thing to deal with. We may not think that friends deserves our forgiveness. It is because they are a friend that we should learn to forgive them.
@annavi23 (6522)
• Philippines
27 Jan 11
I think what the friend does is really wrong and it will be really hard to forgive someone like that. But if they are really friends, they will learn to understand each other. Like you said,they have been together through a long time and I know they can still fix things. But still, one has done faults which can make the other to trouble. In the end, they might be terminated both for what they have done. What do you think? If the boss finds out the truth,they may end up being terminated I think. But in the end, friends will be friends as long as they learn to understand each other. I hope I can find true friends nowadays. It makes me sad recently that some of my so-called friends have not included me in their friends nowadays. Well, things like that really happens. We just have to open our minds who to trust.
@jennbart (1330)
• Philippines
27 Jan 11
That is so so unforgivable! why will she claim something she did not really do? That excuse of hers is so LAME.. I wont even forgive her if someone did that same thing to me.
• Philippines
27 Jan 11
In life, we all deserve a second chance even in any relationship.It is normal for your cousin to be hurt and feel betrayed, it is human nature.I would feel the same way if such incident happens to me.They have been friends since high school, so it means the friendship has been existing for a long time and they have really maintained that relationship.I could conclude that this is the first time they have this betrayal issue,am I right? If this is the case,probably they can still work things out, it will take time but forgiveness will prevail in the end.Just hope for the best for your cousin and her best friend.