I don't know about "forgiveness," only "acceptance."

I don’t know about forgiveness, only acceptance. When I accept what happened, I can choose to confront the perpetrator or not. I can request accountability or not, and I can also accept a surprising response.  If someone offends us or a loved one, it is their choice to take responsibility, but whether they take responsibility or not, we can hold them accountable. Once blame is established, we can accept what happened and move on--with or without their blessing. We don’t have to forgive because who knows what it means, anyway?

Forgiveness is a concept that is difficult to ascertain, impossible to explain, so why do we use such a complex word to describe something as simple as, “acceptance”? I don’t understand forgiveness and I don’t care to because I know that people will pay, and they should pay for their wrongful acts.” No amount of ill will or animosity will can take the place of karma, which is the ultimate equalizer. In life, we get what we pay for whether we like it or not. Karma makes sure of that.

The “Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines “forgiveness” as: a : “to give up resentment of or claim to requital for <forgive an insult>. b : to grant relief from payment of <forgive a debt>. 2. : to cease to feel resentment against ...” We are only humans dealing with humanity. Analyzing these definitions, it makes sense "to give up resentment” because s/he who angers us, creates resentment within us, creates negative emotions, and maintains control over us. “To grant relief from payment of” or to “forgive a debt,” is meaningless because karma takes care of all debts, and it is impossible to pray our debts away. Karma functions like a boomerang, and whatever we dole out comes back to us with interest and with full force of a hurricane or tornado, so when someone seems to escape punishment, we can release all negative energy because they cannot escape their karma. Like a pebble in the water, there are ripples that eventually return to their source.

“Karma” is the universal law of cause and effect and once we accept that the universe is in control of checks and balances, we can live free. Forgiveness is unnecessary, but acceptance is something that we all can do. We don’t have to forgive wrongs or grant relief from payment, but we do have to release feelings of resentment  and victimization and allow our Higher Power to manage the rest. Resentment diminishes our power, destroys our self-esteem, creates feelings of victimization, and allows someone other than ourselves to take control of our lives. Knowing this, forgiveness still does not come easy. Acceptance, rather than forgiveness, makes a lot of sense to me.