Last week we got a rude shock when we found someone we trusted cheated us financially. I’m not getting into the details, but it left us shaken for a few days. At times like this, it’s hard to have faith in the human race. You begin to wonder : Who do I trust? How do we begin to forgive? How do continue to be kind when you find that the people you’ve been kind sometimes turn around and cheat you? In the midst of this, I see this quote calling for allowing our hearts to expand to love and I wonder how to do it.
The more that we allow our hearts to expand to love, deeply appreciate, and feel inextricably tied to the places, things and people of this world, the more we are likely to take a stand on behalf of what we value.
– Kristi Nelson
Allowing Our Hearts To Expand
I start to think of all I’ve written about gratitude, authenticity and vulnerability. How can I believe and write all this and yet doubt that everything is working for my good? I know there are lessons to be learned through this experience.
So I need allow my heart to expand. To see beyond the obvious about people and situations. If I am to take a stand for the things I really value, and the principles I’m trying to live by, then I must allow love, gratitude, forgiveness and kindness to guide my actions.
Believe me when I say, it’s not easy. I yearn for revenge. I long to mete out punishment. For a brief moment, I want this person to suffer the consequences of his action. But I think of all the Grace that I have received in life, and I know that revenge and punishment are not options.
I hope I can stay true to my principles when confronted with evil.
How do you cope with situations like this?
I actually wrote a post late last year that may be of some help… we were robbed last year by someone my parents trusted above all else… it was a huge amount and yes, it shattered them emotionally as well.
It has not been easy for them to forgive… slowly they have gotten back into a rhythm but the shock gave my father palpitations and he was lying down, unable to take a decision on anything.
In the end, I collected evidence (audio confession) and in spite of threats from the robber went to the police and had the person arrested. That was our revenge… you deserve some form of closure or else you will keep thinking you lost a battle at every level.
We faced a horrible embezzlement a couple years ago that our head manager and half our employees were in on. I can understand your feelings, it took us a LONG time to process everything and learn to trust again. Becca
Hugs. I know how it feels when someone you trust betrays that trust. Yes there are some a##h###s like that out there, but there are also good people. You are a great example of a wonderful person. So dig deep into that inner strength and live your life with love and gratitude as you do now. But also be practical and see how you can get back what is yours. The culprit should understand that there are consequences to our choices. Lots of hugs again
Such a beautiful thought. Allowing our hearts to expand is indeed a powerful way to become happier.
While we may learn the lesson from the experience, but it’s hard to forgive when your trust is broken. Since we might not be able to punish or take revenge, having feelings of hurt and resentment inside us will be detrimental for our well being. So, in that regard, yes, we need to forgive, practice gratitude and allow our hearts to expand!
Yes, Shilpa. The top most feeling is one of hurt – at broken trust! But thankfully, we have ways to heal ourselves and move on.
So sorry to hear about the loss and not easy to forgive or forget when people back stab. It makes us lose all hope in people which is a natural feeling. The quotes speak in a deep manner and expanding hearts help us to take a stand to protect our loved ones. How true Corinne. It takes magnitude to expand the heart.