Do you forgive others?

United States
February 5, 2013 8:20am CST
I think that it is important to forgive others. And move on past things. I had two very close friends that I grew up with and I would like their mother to watch my daughter while I take a refresher college program. Now she has made some mistakes in her life ( that has nothing to do with my husband or I and who hasn't made mistakes! ) and my husband will not let it go. She has made changes in her life and I feel comfortable with her watching my daughter after all she use to watch me all the time when I was little. I think my husband is way too judgmental and critical. The two people that are my options right now are his grandmother and then my friends mother. But his grandmother can only watch her on certain days which I'm pretty sure that the program dates are different from her schedule. What to do? This is so frustrating!
4 people like this
16 responses
• Philippines
5 Feb 13
The things you must to consider is the safety of your daughter do you think your daughter is still safe with them while your away, if it is, then nothing to worry in your part. To forgive is of GOD making, for human, if you can let go of it then no problem, time will heal the scars of pain in the future.
3 people like this
@echoforever (5180)
• United States
5 Feb 13
Others can be judgemental without thinking how that might hurt someone else. Life happens and mistakes often follow without us wanting them to but we can also bring them on ourselves. I also can become upset when a family member or loved one is being judgemental like this. Its just that we have to decide to let go of other people's mistakes and it isn't always easy to do that. I personally have come a long way with this, I forgave everyone I possibly could one night out of the blue and I have felt so much better since then. I continue to forgive and move on.
3 people like this
@dfollin (25308)
• United States
5 Feb 13
Yes,it does say in the bible that we are to forgive everyone.I find it easier with some people then I do other's.For instance my son's uncle that emotionally abused him for over 30 years by lieing and keeping him from his family.Another person that made major changes to my life that have permenant problems for both myself and my children.I know that God will take care of these people in the end,but I cannot trust them. I do know that one of those people have not changed,therefore I cannot trust him in my life or around my loved ones.However there other people that have been not such fovorable people.....back in the day.But,i have no problem being friends with them now.Like you said we all make mistakes. I guess it depends on what she did and can she be trusred now to care for your children.
2 people like this
@dfollin (25308)
• United States
6 Feb 13
I feel that if I TRULY forgive this person then if ever I am put into a situation where I see this person then I would be fine about it.But,I do not feel that I could do that.All those feeling's would rush back of dislike.I do that this one person emotionally hurt my oldest son and it makes me furious!And I also know that he has not changed.
2 people like this
• United States
5 Feb 13
Yeah I would feel the same as you in that case. That would be awful. With my friends she just made bad choices with regards to her marriage and that caused emotional pain of course for her kids. And so pain young friends ended up having children of their own at the age of fifteen. But we all make mistakes and our actions affect others in our family. But her actions doesn't mean she is unfit to watch our child. She has made changes and is doing things the right way.
2 people like this
• United States
5 Feb 13
There are just some things that hurt us so badly that people do, its no wonder we won't forgive them easily or trust them. Fortunately forgiveness doesn't involve ever seeing the person again unless you want to. Trust is not needed either. Forgiveness is something we can do in our hearts and the person need not even know about it.
3 people like this
@WakeUpKitty (8694)
• Netherlands
5 Feb 13
If there is something to forgive it depends on what exactly that person did to me. Most things I will forget so I think it's forgiven. A part of the people are not important to me anymore, nor is what they did, so I think that is forgiven also. But there are people who abused and harmed me for years and years on purpose. Although they are no part in my life anymore I am not able to forget and forgive. I tried but it doesn't work and it would only make me feel sicker and infect my health if I would say: I forgive but in reality I can't. Also I think there is a very good reason I am not forgetting and forgiving. It's a lesson and I need to remember it otherwise it would happen to me again.
2 people like this
• United States
5 Feb 13
Yeah it is awful when a person/s cause us harm on purpose. Then it very hard to get over it what they have done. It is important that we remember things like that so we don't let happen again. In my friend's mom's case she hasn't done anything to hurt my husband she has just made some bad decisions in her life so now he has basically no respect for her. But since she has made changes in her life I don't think he should hold her past errors over her head. After all we wouldn't want other to do that to us.
1 person likes this
• United States
5 Feb 13
The forgiveness is our choice but it took me awhile to realize my forgiveness made me feel better. It wasn't for them but for myself to live without the bile that had built up for that person. I was finally free.
2 people like this
@Mavic123456 (21893)
• Thailand
5 Feb 13
Yes I forgive people. but the problem is I tend to go near to that person again after. I mean if find this person offensive and I was slighted, I don't fight back or slight the person back. I just keep quiet but I don't like to even see this person or talk to this person, anymore.
2 people like this
• United States
5 Feb 13
Yeah I understand what you mean. With my friend's mom though she has done anything to slight my husband. He just has no respect for her because of her life choices in the past. But he doesn't have a right to hold that over her head. Hopefully though I will be able to figure something out.
1 person likes this
• United States
6 Feb 13
She just has made some bad choices and it has caused problems for her family. But she is very capable of watching our child. My husband is just critical and I don't think that he anything she does from here on out would change a thing for him. So that says a lot about how critical he is.
1 person likes this
@Mavic123456 (21893)
• Thailand
6 Feb 13
well that's your husband's call, try to figure out what makes him feel this way, should it be her face? should it be her smell? you know some when people feel something about something towards other person. this could be what he feels at the moment.
2 people like this
@lisacope (82)
5 Feb 13
I think it's important to forgive, but when it comes too somebody looking after your child, I think you do have to be extremely careful, so I understand where your husband is coming from. You trust this woman because you know her well and she looked after you when you were little, but perhaps your husband doesn't have as much experience of her or know her well enough to see more than the mistakes she's made. To be honest, if it were me and my daughter, it would depend on the types of mistakes she's made. If they're completely unrelated to children/childcare then it maybe shouldn't be an issue. I do hope you can work it out with your husband, or find an alternative.
2 people like this
• United States
5 Feb 13
Thanks! Yes, I agree with you I hope that I can figure something out. Yeah and the mistakes she made has to do with her personal life as far as her choice to get a divorce and that caused issues for her kids having to accept the divorce. Dealing with all that my friends ended up both having children of their own at fifteen. But just because her marriage had problems doesn't mean that she isn't fit to watch our child. In fact she is a better mother than mine. My husband just isn't the type to forgive easily. And he drives me crazy because he isn't willing to pay childcare or do anything else in order for this to work out.
1 person likes this
5 Feb 13
I don't *personally* see a divorce as a mistake.. she must have had her reasons for the decision (if it was her decision). The fact that both her children had children at 15 might feel like an issue though, I'm not sure how I would feel about that, but these things do happen, and like you said it's not related to her looking after your child. She's likely learnt from any mistakes she made when bringing them up though. At 15 they also do have to take some responsibility for their own actions. I'm sorry it's such a struggle with your husband over this issue. He's not being fair, especially being unwilling to find any other options. If he's going to say no to what you want to do, he has to offer another option that he's more happy with (and that you will also be happy with). Really wish you luck in this!
2 people like this
• United States
6 Feb 13
Yeah I agree with you it's her life and her decision. It has nothing to do with us. It would be hard to have a child/ren have a child that young. But like you mentioned they have to take responsibility for their actions. I was their age and I didn't have a child until I was twenty five and had been married for three years. Yeah it is very frustrating how my husband is being. I have a feeling I will not be able to take this course in time. The deadline is coming up soon and I'm afraid that my husband will just take the vehicle to work since he doesn't want me to have her babysit. And I don't have any other options at the present since we just moved to a new area a few months ago.
1 person likes this
@chiyosan (30184)
• Philippines
6 Feb 13
You asked, "Do you forgive others?" Well yes. my answer is i do forgive others, but often i do not forget what was done to me. i agree that it is important for us to be forgiving, for us to move past the hurts and the anger that is in our hearts. Forgiving is an act, a decision that has to be made and not a feeling. I could still be having doubts on this person, i am still hurt but in letting go i am able to forgive the person who hurt me. I had this issue with my bf too, he has friends whom he considered as bestfriends but they made a mistake and everything they do now seems to irritate him, and he just wouldn't let go. he won't understaand too that he needs to forgivve them and start anew. it was a mistake that is really forgivable! i think you have to always watch him when he is dealing with her. sometimes there are people (your husband and my bf included) that they never forget the things done to them and when they changed their opinion of you, it sticks with them and always thinks of you as that person already - no second chances. I can understand your husband, but maybe you just have to always remind him to let it go - perhaps one at a time he will forget what was done in the past a soon let go and staart forgiving.
1 person likes this
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
11 Feb 13
It depends on the situation. I may not always forgive everyone who has harmed me but I do accept things and I move on. I seem to carry bits over though because of what has been done to me. I don't think this person needs the forgiveness of anyone. That's her life and no-one else's business and no-one has a right to judge her. I have an idea that your husband is looking for any excuse for you not to attend your course.
1 person likes this
@ajithlal (14716)
• India
23 Feb 13
I think when we forgive others we will be happy in our life. I think it is good not to think too much about the past things.
@bellis716 (4799)
• United States
7 Feb 13
Would the mistakes your friend's mother made if they were repeated, in any way interfere with her ability too care for your daughter?
1 person likes this
@ajithlal (14716)
• India
19 Feb 13
I think when we forgive others God will also forgive us. Most times when we forgive others we will become happy in our life.
@MandaLee (3759)
• United States
5 Feb 13
We all make mistakes. I do forgive others. I think having your husband make childcare arrangements for your daughter is an excellent idea.
2 people like this
@JamesKYTan (1605)
• Malaysia
7 Feb 13
Everyone is not perfect. Everyone makes mistake now and then. So it important than we forgive others who make us angry or even betray us. It is not easy to forgive those we hurt deeply. But do remember that Jesus asked God to forgive those we crucified him for they do not not understand what they are doing. Personally, I managed to forgive those who hurt me. I just forgave them, maybe the hurt was not deep.
1 person likes this
@jenny1015 (13366)
• Philippines
6 Feb 13
If your husband's grandmother is not available on certain days, then tell your husband that maybe you could bring your kids to your friend's mother during those days.
1 person likes this
@gengeni (3308)
• Indonesia
5 Feb 13
People who have been hurt it seems difficult to forgive. That's because an incomplete view of forgiveness. They feel that forgiving, will harm themselves, but the fact that forgiveness will benefit because his heart was at peace.To be able to forgive others, there are steps to be followed: He must know that what is disturbing is an issue and must be resolved. He can identify all the feelings and remove them all. Making a limitation to no longer be treated like this.
2 people like this
• United States
5 Feb 13
I hope that he gets over this soon. He always holds grudges even though he should not be holding this grudge because her life style had nothing to do with him or us. And she has made changes and I'm happy that she is doing better. I think that it would be a good thing for her to watch our daughter for a few hours and it would be at a cheaper price than daycare.
1 person likes this
• India
5 Feb 13
I wud prefer to comment on your written title. If I were a king, I wud not forgive anyone. All mistakes would be fixed with punishments in proportion to the mistakes made. But I am just a common man. I may have little more power than others. But it is also true that many other people are much more powerful than me. So I try to forget than forgiving, particularly if the person is outsider. For the family members, i am to compromise with the situation, considering my liability and responsibility towards them. Thank you.
1 person likes this
@ajithlal (14716)
• India
8 Feb 13
I am also think that forgive to others is very important one . But sometimes I didn't to forgive to others .
@mariaperalta (19073)
• Mexico
5 Feb 13
i do, I feel 99% of lifes things can be forgiven. To me only murder cant be. Thats just my opinion here. Have a great day there.
1 person likes this