Forgiveness is not about pretending you were never hurt. It is not about excusing what should never have happened. It is about choosing, again and again, not to let old wounds decide who you become. It is the quiet courage of softening when every instinct says to stay guarded.

In this piece, I reflect on what it has meant for me to forgive others and, just as importantly, to forgive myself. How anger once felt like protection. How letting go felt like weakness. And how, over time, I learned that forgiveness is neither of those things. It is freedom. It is healing. It is choosing peace over carrying pain forever.