Forgiveness is an action that is one of the hardest to commit. Saying the three words, “I forgive you,” get stuck in your mouth like a spoonful of peanut butter. Many friendships and relationships have been ended simply because people, myself included, fail to swallow their pride and that peanut butter, and accept an apology or issue one. You do not really realize how precious life, friendships and time on this earth is until something dramatic happens.

When your world come crashing down, when you get that Gibbs slap to the back of the head from the universe everything seems so small. Every argument you have had, grudge you held and relationship ended on poor terms quickly becomes trivial.

I am not perfect, I have shared a bitter word, said things I shouldn’t have or was simply not the best friend I could be in a relationship. I am human, and I have my flaws, but the one common denominator that seems to be more times than not, I never manned up. It’s easy to sit back now and think that in situation A, B and C I would have done things differently. Who knows, but looking back now, seeing how precious life is, how fickle this world can be and how silly arguments are, I would definitely do one thing differently.

I would cherish my friendships and relationships while I had them, while those people, who at one point and time meant the world to me, were in my life. These people were in my life for a reason; they saw me at my low points and my high points — my confidants, shoulders to cry on and people to put me back in my place.

Too many words go unspoken, relationships abandoned, that its simply not worth it anymore to avoid forgiveness. I have seen love and loss, pain and happiness in my short time on this earth to understand that love and happiness can trump all sour feelings, meaningless arguments and words unspoken. It is so easy to harbor ill feelings and protect yourself from ever getting hurt again. But that begs the question, are you truly living? I had a wise person ask me, “Are you living or just existing?” By holding grudges, keeping hatred in your heart, you are existing, simply going through the motions that are called life. So live life full, choose love, forgive easily and don’t be afraid to jump into friendships head first. Those tend to be the most meaningful and bring you great joy.

It is never easy to admit you were wrong, that you did someone dirty, but my mom always instilled in me if it doesn’t cost you anything, why not do it? An apology, forgiving someone, last time I checked, wont cost you a dime.

The older I get, the more I see how precious friendships and relationships are, too much so to just cut people out of your life for silly and petty things. My advice, you never truly know what someone is going through unless you ask. The world can be a scary place if you try to tackle it by yourself; accept friendships and be understanding.

You only are given one life, make the most of it and make sure you go and live it.

“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” — Colossians 3:13