I've come to tell you that it's not your fault," he said. "Michelle's beyond suffering, and yet you suffer, trapped in this hell of your own making. Set yourself free, Olivia. Free to love your daughter as she is, not as you wish she could be. In this you will find more peace than you can possibly imagine.

It was her false self that was confused, thinking that it knew what ugly was and stewing in it, trying to be good enough when there was no such thing. The ugliness had been corrected a long time ago through forgiveness. It was time to forgive herself and surrender to the truth. She

What does matter is whether or not we take offense when we think we've been wronged, regardless of who we think we are or what costume we're wearing.

Consider another core teaching of Jesus. It was he who said that all those who followed him would be known by their radical ability to show kindness to those who were cruel to them2 and to love without holding record of wrong. In fact he said that this kind of love would be the primary evidence of those who know and follow him.3

letting go is something you do, not just talk about. Talking about forgiving changes nothing. Doing it changes everything, not just in you, but somehow in those around you. We are not healed alone.

Yeshua's way was to protect nothing and let go of all grievance, as

Always remember . . . You have been given the power to forgive any offense, and in so doing, remove it from your awareness as far as the east is from the west. True vision is his gift, allowing you to see no blame; forgiveness is your truest purpose in this life. Seventy times seven, always, leaving the old self in a watery grave and rising to find no fault. That's grace, that's true baptism, and that's good news, wouldn't you say?

For a kind soul hath no hell but sin.

For I saw no wrath except on man's side, and he forgives that in us, for wrath is nothing but a perversity and an opposition to peace and to love.

As you become older, you become less judgmental and take offense less. But marriage is hard work; the illusion that you get married and live happily ever after is absolute rubbish.

When we are broken like Jesus, we are able to forgive people, truly forgive them, and desire no revenge. A good example of this is found in the life of Joseph. When his brothers came to him desperate in the time of famine, he had every reason to turn them away and let them die. But he didn't. He said, "My brothers, don't be afraid, the Lord sent me here for you" (see Genesis 45:5).

Intemperance and intolerance serve no one, and hatred guarantees failure.