forgiving you parents

Your parents, your mom and dad. They are the ones who brought you into life. Perhaps you have resentment toward them, perhaps you love them and cherish them. If you’re like most, there are times when you wonder why they couldn’t be better, where you wonder whey they are they way they are.

My parents are always separate for all of my life. I don’t know what it is like to have a mom and dad in the same house growing up. All I knew growing up is that my parents hated each other. Every interaction I saw them together they were arguing and fighting with each other.

I only realize in my older years that this is not normal, that this is not right.

My mom has taught me many things; work ethic, stability, survival. She was a public school teacher for special needs students most of her career. She raised 3 children on her own and provided a home for all of us. I saw my dad once a week for a day at church or a weekend stay in the dells or a unique place.

I believe my parents raised me in a state of survival, rather than love. I never knew what it was like to have a mom and dad in the same house, living and loving themselves, each other, and their kids.

I believe it is our obligation to forgive our parents in this lifetime. This is necessary because they are just like us. They grew up and lived like we lived (maybe a little different) learning and living and going along as we do.

We are all human beings and we all have a different upbringing and perspective on life. We (they) may do right and may do wrong. However, we need to recognize that they are just learning and growing just as we are learning and growing.

It is our duty to forgive our parents for anything we believe they have done wrong in raising us- because we (you and me) are just as human as they are, and we don’t always live by perfection.

The recognition this leads to surrender, it leads to love, to forgiveness. It leads to everything holy. Let us forgive each other just as Jesus taught us.

Forgive your parents, for they are you, and you are them, in different stages of life.