Forgiveness.

Forgiveness:
–noun


1. act of forgiving; state of being forgiven.


2. disposition or willingness to forgive.

Forgiveness... one act I struggle with. One act that seems like it takes an enormous amount of energy but once done releases an incredible load most of us do not recognize we are bearing.
 
This past month I have reconciled with two people I haven't spoken to in YEARS. We were all inseperable but one day things just turned sour. There have been several times where we have seen each other over the years and did not speak or act as if we knew one another. I carried ill feelings towards them for a long time, not knowing the root of the problem just not liking them because they did not like me. One day I stopped myself and said this can no longer continue. I was haboring feelings that weren't hurting anyone but me. Turning my face up at the mention of a name, memory of them, or thought of them. How healthy was this? They didn't know I was doing these things. They could not hear the smart remarks I made.

"When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free.” -Catherine Ponder

I ran into each of them at seperate times like it was planned. The moment I saw them.. all the past history and words that were said no longer mattered. I had grown over the years and matured. We may not be close again like we once were but to let everything go and officially move on felt freeing. I still love them as people and thank God for them. I will forever carry the lessons I learned from our situation.

Forgiving someone is not a form of weakness. The weak person holds on to those feelings and demolishes their own life at the cost of their problems. If something happens to a person you haven't forgiven ask yourself if you could live knowing that you had the chance to forgive them. All those mean words said to the person were the last memories they have of you.

“To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness.” -Robert Muller

If you haven't forgiven someone choose today to be the day to do so.

Signed,

Desarée Franchon

Lesson #5,000,001: Everyone's NOT #teamyou

From birth we learn lessons daily. How to tie our shoes, how to button our pants, how to talk to people and the list continues. As of late I have been constantly reminded of one very important lesson I learned a long time ago: Everyone's not on your team.

I've never been the type to expect every person on earth to be #teamDesaree BUT when it comes to the people I hold close to me, I always think they will support me the same way I would them. As usual I am smacked in the face with reality when I discover that an individual does not believe in me. This idea may be juvenile and I may be naive but I can 't help it. If I have a friend and they're making positive decisions or pursuing their dream I am in cheerleader mode for them. Many that surround me always feed me words of encouragement and I appreciate EVERY bit of it wholeheartedly, it's just a tough pill to swallow when people you care about join the list of non-supporters or worse, haters.

I'm learning that your biggest cheerleader should be yourself. On days when there is no one around to pump us up or give us that push we may need is the time when self-motivation is most important. If our drive is reliant on the encouragement of others, we will fail. There is an extra piece of the puzzle that is most important in each of our lives and that is the person living it a.k.a. YOU. I always here my mom saying "Man will always fail you. We're built that way. The disciples betrayed Jesus. But God will never fail us, always count on him to give you the strength you need." I think the other lesson I am supposed to learn is we already have the strength within us. It doesn't matter if others support you when YOU support you. Ha! The list of lessons keep growing!

#stayinspired
Desaree Franchon

A Quote to stay inspired...

Because your own strength is unequal to the task, do not assume that it is beyond the powers of man; but if anything is within the powers and province of man, believe that it is within your own compass also.
~ Marcus Aurelius Antoninus