How would you react if someone wrote you an apologetic email for something they did 5 or 10 years ago? Derek Powazek paints a gracious picture, “if I wronged you this year, I’m sorry. If you wronged me, I forgive you.”

Reading his post, it made me reflect on my life… how have I been in the past, how have I treated people, and do I forgive and forget. I do believe too that everything goes full circle. “Treat someone the way you want to be treated”, my mom always told me.

It is more than just forgiving someone. The friendships and ties that would have been all those years from not talking to each other, can’t be brought back. Who knows, if those ties weren’t broken, how it would have changed the course of one’s life. It’s all about the fullness of life and achieving it spiritually and mentally. Is it part of the answer to the meaning of life? Maybe it’s part of what makes up our number 42.

I quote the text of Tao Te Ching, Verse 79 …

After settling a great dispute
some resentment is sure to remain
Being content with what you have
is always best in the end

The Sage always assumes the debt
as if holding the left side of a contract
he gives and gives, and wants nothing in return

One with true virtue
always seeks a way to give
One who lacks true virtue
always seeks a way to get
To the giver comes the fullness of life
to the take just an empty hand

Though the Tao of Heaven has no favorites
it always sides with one who has a pure heart

Like Derek, I’ve had a tough year, being mistreated and doing my share of mistreating too. Been sad, angry, happy and at times unkind to those around me. So if someone wrote me an apologetic letter even if it was 10 years ago, I’ll definitely except his apology and if he didn’t apologize, I forgive him anyway. After all, “everyone deserves another chance to get it right”.

I like his idea of taking some time off to reflect one’s life, to think through your behavior and start correcting your past mistakes (whatever it may be). Don’t do it just because God told us to or to please someone else… do it because you want to do it (deep down within), to make life a better place to live, and for the betterment of one’s self.

Life is whatever you make it out to be and make sure you leave a mark in the book of Your life. Life is short, make it count.