Forgiveness. Letting Go. Moving forward. Reconciliation. While all of these things can bring a sense of tranquility and peace into our lives, nowhere in the bylaws states that reconnection has to happen. Sure, there may be times when you are able to rekindle an old flame. More often than not, the flame is as dead as a doorknob and we are putting forth every action possible to revive a situation that has already signed a DNR.

The social construct of forgiveness can be interpreted in several different ways. From apologizing to old friends to bringing flowers to your significant others, forgiveness can be expressed in several different ways. However, I feel that sometimes we become so consumed with the infatuation of forgiveness and the "what ifs" that we negate the overall mental health portion of this action. Forgiveness is not intended to bring back toxic turmoil that was once a piece of the past. Rather, reconciling your difference and agreeing to keep it pushing if nothing good is to follow. You and your ex may have once been a power couple in the making. You and that friend may have gone on numerous adventures that bring a smile to your face every time you think about it. Yet, all of those memories are simply that. Memories are memories for a reason.

Forgiveness is a way of releasing dead weight and continue to elevate. What good is there to verbally reassure someone that you are letting go and not do it? That's equivalent to buying all the ingredients to make a curry chicken without actually cooking it. Though there are steps to forgiveness and reconciliation, it is essential that we make the necessary moves to achieve the purpose in the action.

Refusing to rekindle broken situations can often yield a feeling of restoration. Every story is different. Therefore, we must make mistakes, learn from them, apologize earnestly, and move forward accordingly.