Forgiving Myself

By HM

At times I wonder if I can really forgive myself for all the bad things I’ve done! Then I ask myself, why not? If I don’t start with my own self, who’s going to do it for me first.

My past self would say damn I was right. If I shouldn’t start forgiving myself, how could I do it for somebody else.

I want the courage to tell all the ones, that one day considered me as an enemy, that I have forgiven you all for all those things that once you did to me.

When I look up I see the sky and the clouds but far away, I can see God of me has been proud.

Inside my heart, I hear my stress has been released.

My heart desires to forgive everybody, to forgive myself.

My circumstances at this moment are not the best, but I keep going without falling.

Forgiveness is wealth like nothing in the world.

That’s why I love myself.

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33 Comments

  1. Lauren on July 21, 2020 at 9:38 PM

    I LOVE the last line. It made me smile.

  2. Abby on July 22, 2020 at 8:06 PM

    Forgiving yourself is one of the most important and powerful things someone can do in their whole life. The fact that you are even on the journey of trying to forgive yourself shows just how strong and wise you are as a person. Forgiving myself is something I also struggle with a lot and try to always work on because like you said, then you can forgive others. I also loved what you said about forgiving your enemies – it takes an extremely strong person to be able to forgive those that consider you an enemy or who have wronged you. That really inspires me, thank you for writing this powerful piece about forgiving oneself and most importantly, loving oneself!!

  3. Billie Marcheva on August 2, 2020 at 11:10 PM

    Hi, HM,

    Wow. This is a powerful poem. Loving and accepting yourself is among the bravest and hardest things we can do, and I am so fiercely proud of you for being so resilient, for working hard to become your best self, and for having space in your heart for compassion and forgiveness towards others.

    When we are put face to face with adversity, I believe that it would be completely understandable to fall into the pits of anger, frustration, and negativity. But you made the intentional choice to take challenge and turn it into fertilizer for growth. That is incredible. That’s the journey I’m working on myself.

    Thank you for proudly loving yourself. Thank you for sharing your poetry.

  4. Tara C on September 1, 2020 at 8:31 PM

    The way you write about forgiving yourself and others is so powerful! I believe it’s really important to talk about how our mistakes do not make up our entire personalities and ways of living. We live, grow, and learn from our experiences. I love that you write with such profound and meaningful words, because you portrayed a really clear message across about forgiveness and growth.

  5. Markella on September 7, 2020 at 5:59 PM

    Dear HM,
    i truly admire your power and your courage! It requires an unbelievable amount of strength to accept your mistakes and forgive yourself! Once you succeed it ,though, you truly are closer to God than ever. You should be proud of yourelf! Be proud and do not let anyone make you think little of yourself. Today, if you allow me, I will make a prayer for you to be well whenever you are; a prayer with all my heart. Continue being strong!
    With endless respect,
    Markella

  6. Olivia on September 8, 2020 at 9:03 AM

    It’s great that you have found a way to love and forgive yourself. Loving and forgiving yourself may be one of the hardest things in life, but as soon as you figure out how to love and forgive yourself first, you then can love and forgive others and enjoy life more! This was a great poem and I really thought there was great meaning behind it, keep up the great work!

  7. Rachel Kaplan on September 8, 2020 at 9:03 AM

    I absolutely love this poem and the message. It is perfectly okay to forgive yourself. It is so freeing! Forgiveness is so important and I am glad you are able to give it to yourself.

  8. Deja Chamblis on September 8, 2020 at 9:04 AM

    This is so insightful. Forgiveness is such a powerful thing and you are absolutely right it starts within. Your past decisions or mistakes do not define you.

    I think it was brave of you to forgive yourself, and I know forgiveness from others will soon follow. You are such a talented writer, please use your gift as often as you can

  9. Payton on September 8, 2020 at 9:09 AM

    I love how you describe that it has taken time to forgive yourself, but you are taking steps to not only forgive yourself but those around you as well. In order to better the world, we must focus on first bettering and loving yourself. Your poem explains exactly that and can be easily related to, as loving oneself can be a difficult journey.

  10. Mia on September 13, 2020 at 5:27 PM

    HM,
    This poem really resonated with me. Why does it seem easier to forgive others, yet so difficult to forgive ourselves? We must love ourselves and learn to conquer this challenge so that we are able to live lives that we are proud of. Beautiful piece.

  11. Kellyn on September 29, 2020 at 8:12 PM

    I love this poem so much because it has such a powerful message, especially with the line “If I shouldn’t start forgiving myself, how could I do it for somebody else.” It is so important to let go of our own mistakes so that we can forgive and have relationships with others, and you are deserving of self-love and forgiveness.

  12. Helina on September 29, 2020 at 8:20 PM

    I love this poem! One of the hardest thing you can do is look at yourself and forgive — accepting and acknowledging your past faults and choosing to let go. I really appreciate the last line: “That’s why I love myself.” A great way to end your poem!

  13. Joshua Redd on October 8, 2020 at 2:00 PM

    Resilience sometimes can be our biggest enemy and our best attribute.

    Thank you so much for sharing this.

  14. kassidilenae on October 13, 2020 at 1:12 PM

    HM,

    Thank you for sharing this with us. Self love and forgiveness is critical. How can we love and forgive others if we can’t love and forgive ourselves? Your words are very wise, and I encourage you to continue to spread your optimism through your writing.

    KC

  15. Joyce on October 13, 2020 at 5:05 PM

    Dear HM,

    I am so glad that you’ve learned forgiveness. It is so important and the only way we can move on, heal, grow, and improve. I think it is a hard process to go through and definitely struggle with forgiving myself too, about big and small things. But forgiving ourselves and others is powerful because it shows that we acknowledge that we can all become better people and we are never perfect. Our past actions and mistakes do not define us. I hope you can stay motivated and “keep going without falling,” as you say. I am sure there is a bright future ahead. Thank you for this inspiring poem.

    Best wishes,
    Joyce

  16. LM on October 18, 2020 at 4:45 PM

    HM, this is such a beautiful poem. Forgiveness is so important and the message in your poem is powerful. We really do need the ability to forgive ourselves before ever thinking about forgiving anyone else. “Thats why I love myself” is an amazing way to finish off the poem. Loving oneself can be a struggle at times but it is very important to love yourself. Thank you for your writing.

  17. N. B. on October 20, 2020 at 12:44 PM

    I found this poem truly inspiring. In my own life I’ve struggled with self-forgiveness too, and often found it’s easier to forgive others than it is to forgive ourselves for past mistakes. You put it best, though: “Then I ask myself, why not? If I don’t start with my own self, who’s going to do it for me first./ My past self would say damn I was right. If I shouldn’t start forgiving myself, how could I do it for somebody else.” That’s such a powerful realization that everyone needs to come to for themselves, and it takes different people different amounts of time. This poem touches on a central aspect of being human. Thank you for sharing, because I walk away with a reminder of the value of forgiving oneself.

  18. Steffy on October 20, 2020 at 8:18 PM

    You are absolutely right. Forgiveness is the greatest wealth. Being able to forgive oneself is even harder. However, taking the time to reflect, to talk and understand yourself is necessary. I encourage you to keep on going on this path. Thank you for writing such an inspirational poem.

  19. ken on November 2, 2020 at 11:38 AM

    This is a really good topic that you are talking about! The power of forgiveness is such a big thing and nobody really understands it. Really good writing!

  20. Natalie D. on November 11, 2020 at 3:15 PM

    Hey HM, you’re absolutely right when it comes to us needing to forgive ourselves so that it won’t be difficult to forgive others later. I love that you have found forgiveness within yourself and others; I can only hope that others who read your poem feel empowered to do the same. Thank you for this piece.

  21. Madison on November 18, 2020 at 2:26 PM

    All too often we fail to forgive ourselves, even after others already have. Have patience with yourself and find peace in yourself. We all make mistakes and we all deserve forgiveness. You deserve forgiveness. If others choose not to give you that, they aren’t meant to be part of your journey.

  22. Dhara Patel on February 24, 2021 at 10:10 PM

    This poem was beautifully said! I agree with everything you said and the only way we could move on is if and when we accept our mistakes and learn from them. You have to try to see the good in situations and try to get a few good things from that bad thing that happened. Amazing poem!

  23. Ayzhiana Basallo on April 6, 2021 at 10:43 PM

    Wow, your poem was very powerful. I feel that self-care and mental health are really important aspects in life and for you to write about it just made me feel reassured.

  24. Julia Rinaldi on April 11, 2021 at 9:10 PM

    HM,

    This is beautiful. Nobody is perfect and everyone makes mistakes! You must forgive yourself, as you are not and will never be alone. Thank you for sharing with everyone. Keep writing, and be good to yourself, because you matter.

  25. CA on April 21, 2021 at 7:21 PM

    HM,

    The last line is my favorite. Self-love is a difficult discovery and I am thrilled that you have found it. In the moment it may be hard to forgive yourself for something awful but you have to realize what you did wrong and work past that. Your poem brought up a situation I went through recently when I personally could not forgive myself for what I did. I quickly got out of my slump and told myself that I cannot hold back from living my life. Thank you for sharing your poem.

    CA

  26. Grace Denno on May 3, 2021 at 11:06 PM

    I am a student in a community service course at Wayne State in Detroit whose goal is to engage with the community beyond the university. When I discovered Free Minds I was immediately thrilled to see the connections build around your writings and heart, and what you have to offer is a powerful and beautiful gift to the community. It was a true privilege getting the opportunity to read what is on your heart and mind, your desires and passions, thoughts, and struggles. You have so much to say, so much wisdom to give, and such deep experiences and desires to share with the community that people from all walks of life, backgrounds, beliefs, and ages can deeply connect with and affiliate with. Keep engaging with the community and making your voice heard. You bring healing, hope, and renewal of mind to many who have the privilege to share in your poetry. I am speechless when it comes to your poem. The beginning is dim and reflective with a hint of guilt and questioning whether you deserve grace and forgiveness. Then the second half of the poem, opens up like a freeing fresh breath of air on a sunny day- that is the best way I can explain in words the utter power and brilliance of your work. I am so happy for you that you have reached a place of confidence in yourself that you know while your situation is not perfect your situation and circumstances do not define your peace; your peace defines your situation. Thank you for setting such a beautiful example of what forgiving ourselves looks like.

  27. Samantha on May 14, 2021 at 5:10 PM

    HM,

    I really liked this a lot! The line, “Forgiveness is wealth like nothing in the world,” should be on a t-shirt, mug, etc. because what a piece of wisdom it is, man oh man!!! Thank you for writing on this topic; I think more of us need to recognize how important forgiveness is, not so much for others, but for ourselves.

    Best,

    Samantha

  28. Justin Lambert on July 20, 2021 at 1:28 PM

    Attaining forgiveness is never an easy thing and it likely seems like an insurmountable task, but if greatness would never be achieved if nobody thought to challenge these feelings of guilt and self doubt. Getting somebody else to forgive is always going to be beyond our control, but doing the work to forgive ourselves is always within reach if you continue to put in the effort necessary to do so.

  29. Nina Austria on November 9, 2021 at 9:27 PM

    Dear HM, Your poem conveys not only the freedom that comes with forgiving oneself, but also the struggle that often comes with this act. Thank you for sharing your story in such a beautiful and honest way! Forgiving oneself is definitely not easy, but it is an important factor in moving forward with one’s life, and I want you to feel proud of yourself. Keep writing!!!

  30. Matthew Shalhoob on April 28, 2022 at 3:18 PM

    HM,
    I love your line, “forgiveness is wealth.” The way you explain the process of forgiving truly shows how much it means to you. How forgiveness makes you feel, inspires me to go out and reciprocate the action. One line in particular really made me think, “When I look up I see the sky and the clouds but far away, I can see God of me has been proud.” I pondered why an action that we all know brings good can be so difficult for us as humans. Your explanation of how you felt inside your heart, hearing your stress release, made me want to feel a similar feeling. Forgiveness is a powerful message, and it is one that is so simple to share with others. Although I realize my mistakes, it is not always easy to make amends for them. But reading your line, “if I don’t start with my own self, who’s going to do it for me first,” put it into perspective. It is necessary for us to forgive each other, as this is truly the only way we can grow.

  31. Oshane on October 16, 2022 at 11:46 PM

    Beautiful poem. Thanks for teaching the message of forgiveness. I like the line where you state “I want the courage to tell all the ones, that one day considered me as an enemy, that I have forgiven you all for all those things that once you did to me.” This is a very difficult thing to do, to be able to muster the courage to forgive someone for their wrongdoings towards you. You also mentioned self-forgiveness, it is a very strong statement. We should all aspire to learn the art of self-forgiveness and forgiveness of others as it helps us to move forward from pain and heartache. It makes us lighter and in better spirits.

  32. Jazmyne on February 18, 2023 at 11:46 AM

    I believe this poem speaks to so many. The raw true emotion about being able to forgive yourself and move on. Is one are the hardest things each one of us can do. I think your poem speaks this. The line where you say “forgiveness is wealth like nothing in the world.” It’s something that each one of us so truly desires but takes dedication to get. This poem is powerful and relatable. It’s beautiful, keep writing!

  33. Hannah on April 15, 2023 at 5:13 PM

    this was so sweet! it’s nice to see people forgiving them selfs because honesty who are you going to love if not yourself first!

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