So, I got my feelings hurt this morning. I was sharing something I thought was important and the person I was talking to interrupted me to tell me about something else. I let it slide knowing that they had a lot on their mind. When they did it a second time in our conversation, I felt hurt.

We concluded our talk and went on about our day.

I felt bummed out. I felt mad that I wasn’t listened to. I felt disappointed that something I was excited about was discarded so easily by someone I cared about. I felt irritated for all the times I listened to things they had to say whether I was directly interested or not.

I began to stew. My brain brought up all the other times this person has done this very thing!

Then I stopped myself short. This was getting me nowhere but in a dark spiral downward. No! Not going there!

I could call a friend who would side with me and support me in my sorrow. That would be really nice, but that would also keep me stuck there.

I could call another friend who would tell me to get over it. That might be a good idea, but certainly wouldn’t make me feel any better. And truth be known, I didn’t want to get over it! It hurt!

What other choice might I have?

I could find a way to shift . . . couldn’t I?

I did some writing about a totally different subject. That got me a bit of distance from the hurt feelings. I sat out in the sun for a bit and did some reading. That got me a bit more distance from the hurt feelings. I was taking care of myself. Nurturing myself.

Then I got to thinking about it again from a different perspective – a nurtured perspective. I got to thinking about where the other person was and the difficulty that was weighing on them. They whole heart and mind was consumed with their current challenge. Their slighting me had nothing to do with me. I could take their slight personally or I could see it for what it really was – their own pain taking over their awareness.

In that moment, I decided to recognize their pain and their challenge with compassion. All of a sudden, my own hurt feelings vanished. I began to consider how I might be more supportive of them. I also began to remember all the times they were supportive of me! I had forgotten! My feeling hurt had blinded me from that truth!!

My decision to recognize them with compassion totally eliminated the pain I had been feeling. It was GONE!!

What a huge relief!

I was then able to joyfully begin writing this to you. What a huge shift!

I think this shift is called forgiveness