Why do you stay in prison when the doors are wide open?
I love this quote from Rumi. It reminds me how easy it is for us to lock ourselves in a prison of our own making—one that is built out of resentment, anger, fear, betrayal, persecution, and all the perceived wrongs we believe we are victims of in this world. And unfortunately, we hold onto our hurt and pain so fiercely that we don’t realize the key to our freedom is in our hands.
My friend, this golden key is called forgiveness.
Forgiveness is a divine gift from God, which along with love and compassion, is what will put us on our path to earthly and everlasting freedom. You just have to pick up the key and use it. In this month’s special Q&A, I will show you how. Trust me, your life may never be the same.
Now, you might be asking, who do I have to forgive? That is a fair question, and one not always obvious. The answer depends on your individual path. But remember, we do not just forgive those who we believe have personally wronged us, but anyone who has failed to meet our expectations or disappointed us. It could be family members who let us down, friends who hurt our feelings, or bosses who ignore us. It could be life itself. And, of course, more than anything, we need to forgive ourselves for all our perceived mistakes as failures and imperfections.
You see, forgiveness is the vehicle that allows us to change our perceptions of others and ourselves. Forgiveness allows us to let go of our fears and need to control the world (which, of course, is impossible). We need to remind ourselves that love is the only reality there is. Anything we perceive that does not mirror love is a misperception.
In other words, forgiveness becomes our tool for correcting our misperceptions; it allows us to see only the love in others and ourselves and nothing else. As the wise spiritual teacher, Osho once said, “I teach you to forgive others, but even more to forgive yourself. Out of that forgiveness, a great love for yourself will arise.”
Love will lead us to forgiveness, which will lead us to heal and our freedom. As Rumi said, “the doors are wide open.” The only question is, will you walk out into the sunlight and experience this beautiful freedom for yourself?
