By Morris Wambua

There is a weight we carry when we’re hurt, a burden that sinks into the heart and refuses to leave.

It lingers in the quiet spaces of our minds, whispering to us as we fall asleep, reappearing in
memories we thought we’d forgotten.

Forgiveness—a word so gentle, yet so immense—feels like an impossible dream, a distant shore we can only imagine reaching. And yet, we know that we must try. Because without it, we remain bound, a prisoner to the past.

Forgiveness is a journey, a slow, winding road.

Some tell us to simply “let go,” as if pain were a stone we could cast into the sea. But it’s never that easy.

Forgiveness is more like crossing a deep, rushing river; each step feels like a struggle, each memory a current pulling us back.

It is messy and complex, a test of strength that reveals the rawest parts of who we are. And for those brave enough to take that first step, it is a journey that changes everything.

The First Step: Acknowledging the Wound

Forgiveness begins in pain.

It begins in the hurt that lives in the heart, in the raw, unhealed wound left by someone we trusted,
someone we loved.

Forgiveness doesn’t start with “letting go.”

No, it begins with looking directly at that wound and saying, “This hurt me.” It’s a moment of truth, an acknowledgment of the scar that has marked us.

We are often told to forgive and forget, but to truly forgive, we must remember.

We must let ourselves feel the weight of what happened, the betrayal, the disappointment, the broken trust.

Only then can we begin to let go, piece by piece, breath by breath.

This is the hardest part of the journey—to admit to ourselves that we were vulnerable, that we were hurt, that a piece of us was shattered by someone else’s actions.

Pain is not a sign of weakness.

Pain is the starting point of healing, the signal that something deep within us needs to be
tended to, cared for, and ultimately released.

Forgiveness, in its truest form, begins with compassion—for ourselves, for our wounds, for the parts of us that are still hurting.

The Struggle Within: Wrestling with Anger and Resentment

Forgiveness is a battle.

A quiet, invisible battle ought within the walls of our own hearts.

It is the struggle between anger and compassion, between the desire for justice and the yearning for peace.

We tell ourselves that we should forgive, that it’s the “right” thing to do, but the anger refuses to leave, the resentment clings, as if by holding onto it, we can somehow protect ourselves from being hurt again.

But anger is a heavy armor, and it wears us down.

Resentment is a poison we drink, hoping it will hurt someone else, when in reality, it only eats away at us.

Forgiveness is about loosening our grip, about letting the weight fall away, about choosing to set ourselves free. Yet, it is not easy.

There are days when the pain feels fresh, when the memorie come rushing back, when the wound feels as raw as the day it was made.

On those days, forgiveness feels impossible. And that’s okay.

Forgiveness is not a destination; it is a journey of small, quiet choices.

On some days, we will feel strong enough to release a little of the hurt.

On others, we will feel the weight of it all over again.

This is the ebb and flow of forgiveness—a dance of letting go and holding on, of moving forward
and being pulled back.

But with each step, we grow closer to freedom.

The Turning Point: Realizing the True Cost of Holding On

There comes a moment, somewhere along the journey, when we begin to see that holding onto anger is hurting us more than it could ever hurt the one who wronged us.

We start to feel the cost of resentment, the way it dims our light, the way it clouds our days with bitterness and shadows.

The person who hurt us has moved on, yet we remain shackled, bound to a past we can’t change.

In that moment, forgiveness begins to feel lessl ike a gift to them and more like a gift to ourselves.

We realize that we are not letting them off the hook; we are letting ourselves off the hook.

We are choosing to be free, to release the burden that has weighed us down for so long.

This is the turning point, the quiet epiphany that forgiveness is not about them—it’s about reclaiming our own peace, our own joy.

We begin to see that forgiveness is an act of self-preservation, a way of saying, “I deserve to be free.” And with that realization, the first true release begins—a letting go of the anger, the pain, the bitterness.

It is not a single moment, but a series of moments, a softening of the heart, a loosening of the grip. Forgiveness is a gentle letting go, a slow and steady opening to life again.

The Release: Choosing Peace Over Pain

Forgiveness does not come with a fanfare; there is no grand moment of triumph.

It is a quiet, tender release, a gradual unburdening of the heart.

One day, you wake up and find that he memory no longer stings as sharply, that the anger has softened, that the bitterness has faded.

The hurt is still there, perhaps, but it no longer defines you.

It is a part of your story, but it is no longer the whole story.

This is the freedom of forgiveness—not the erasure of the past, but the reclaiming of your present. To forgive is to choose peace over pain, to choose to live unburdened by resentment.

It is a courageous act of self-love, a decision to move forward with grace rather than remain trapped
in bitterness.

Forgiveness does not mean forgetting.

It does not mean excusing.

It means that you have chosen to let go, to release the hold the past has over you.

It means that you have decided to be free.

The Other Side of Forgiveness: Finding Freedom

On the other side of forgiveness lies a vast and open field, a place of lightness, of peace.

The anger that once consumed you has lifted, and in its place is a quiet joy, a sense of wholeness.

You are no longer tethered to the person who hurt you; you are no longer bound by the chains of resentment.

You are free.

The journey of forgiveness has transformed you.

You are stronger, more compassionate, more understanding.

The wound that once felt like a prison has become a source of empathy, a reminder of the resilience that lives within you.

You carry this gift forward, sharing it with others who are still walking the path, still learning to let go.

Forgiveness is a journey that never truly ends.

There will be days when the memories resurface, when the old anger flares up, when the wound aches once again. But now, you know the way forward.

You have learned the art of release, the beauty of choosing peace. And each time, you choose forgiveness, you reclaim a little more of your own heart.

Closing Thoughts: The Gift of Forgiveness

To those who are still holding onto pain, still carrying the weight of past hurts—know that forgiveness is possible.

It is not an easy road, and there will be days when it feels impossible. But take heart.

Forgiveness is not a single act, but a journey of love, a journey of healing, a journey towards freedom.

Forgive not because they deserve it, but because you deserve peace.

Forgive not to let them off the hook, but to set yourself free.

Forgive, so that you can live lightly, unburdened, open to the beauty of life once more.

The road to forgiveness is long, but on the otherside is a lightness, a joy, a sense of self that is untouchable.

Take the first step, even if it’s small.

Breathe.

Let go.

And know that each step forward is astep towards reclaiming your own heart.