You may remember that recently I said, “I’d like to master unconditional love. What will my practice look like? Gratitude will play a big role, of that I’m sure.”
I thought, “I’ve got this! Gratitude’s groovy, easy. fun. No Problem!”
Then unconditional love looked me in the eye and told me it wasn’t going to be quite that easy, that there is more to mastering unconditional love than the groovy practice of gratitude. There is forgiveness.
I’ve long described forgiveness like this: acknowledge the transgression; accept that it happened; release it. But unconditional love taught me that there’s a step I’d neglected to include in my formula for forgiveness: love the transgressor.
What? Love the transgressor? Love the perpetrator? Now wait just a minute! Not only that, but sometimes the transgressor is me! Love me? Even though I was the transgressor? Oh dear.
It’s a tall order, but I’ve been working on it. And while I may not yet be able to actually love the transgressor, be it me or another, I have come to the point where I can honestly say that I am willing to love the transgressor. I have surrendered to willingness, and I’m curious to see where it will take me. I’ll let you know!