Forgiveness does not mean that you let anyone off the hook, it means that your present happiness is more important than your past suffering. Forgiveness does not mean that you condone the hurtful things done to you, it means that you reclaim your right to run your own life.
Forgiveness does not mean you erase the past, or forget what has happened. It doesn’t even mean the other person will change their behaviour – you cannot control that. All it means is that you are letting go of the anger and pain, and moving on to a better place.
Source: Forgiving Others – Forgiving Yourself @ The Dynamic Turnaround
