askthetherapist
Forgiving Our Parents
Q:
Dear Karen Ka

ye, Why is it so important to forgive our parents?
Why forgive parents who have done us wrong?
Sincerely, William
to you, and your life? What does it do do parents get up in the middle of the
to your mind, body, spirit and relation- night to consciously plan how they can
ships over time? Who does it serve? wreck their children’s lives. They are
What is the payoff? What is the cost? just unconsciously passing down what
they learned from their parents.
Any person or event that you do
not forgive, owns your power. Anger At age 21, your life is whatever
creates a strong relationship; no one is you make of it. So get up, get help,
free. Most people who do not forgive and let your best revenge be that your
have to run from relationship to rela- life works. By the way, once your life
tionship. All long-term relationships works, it is easy to forgive your parents!
require forgiveness. Also, those persons
who can’t forgive others will rarely Many thanks.
forgive themselves. Sincerely,
A:
Dear William, Let me begin Karen L. Kaye L.M.H.C
by asking you some questions. William, here are some new
What do you get out of not vantage points. Forgiveness does not
forgiving your parents? mean to forget. You are not letting the If you would like to speak with
other person “off the hook”, you are Karen Kaye, she can be reached at
What does that non-forgiveness do learning from another’s lesson. Rarely 954.384.1217. See ad page 67.
November 2008 51
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