Let It Go...

It’s not ‘sorry’ that is the hardest word; it’s ‘forgiveness’.

- Seema Goswami

Sorry seems to be the hardest word.” It’s not just a cliche. It is also a song lyric. And for the longest time ever, I considered it to be absolutely and completely true.

Of late, however, I have begun to reassess my position. Mostly because it now looks like sorry seems to be the ‘easiest word’. Whether it is ordinary folk, politicians, sports stars, film stars or assorted celebrities, apologies come thick and fast at us. In fact, it’s almost as if a facile ‘sorry’ uttered with a suitably contrite expression is enough to forgive any sin ranging all the way from pride, greed, vanity to envy and sloth.

Which brings me to my recent epiphany: it is not ‘sorry’ that is the hardest word; that honour goes to the word ‘forgiveness’.

It is not for nothing that it is said that ‘to err is human, to forgive, divine’. God may be full of infinite mercy and forgiveness but ordinary flawed human beings like you and me have the hardest time forgiving those who sin against us. (My apologies for the overtly Catholic theme this Sunday morning; in my defence, I did go to convent school!)