Our “Big Idea” for the month of March is “Forgiveness.” When someone says, “I’m sorry,” we often hear others respond by saying, “that’s okay.” This response often makes forgiveness difficult. Usually, whatever action someone took that wronged you was not okay. Otherwise, they would not be apologizing. That’s one of the many reasons why we are focusing on forgiveness this month. Instead of forgiving someone by saying, “that’s okay,” we are teaching students that forgiveness is deciding that someone who has wronged you doesn’t have to pay for their actions. When seen in this light, forgiveness is much more beneficial to the one who is giving forgiveness, rather than the one who has apologized. When our minds are focused on revenge, anger and negativity fills us and makes us bitter. When our minds are focused on forgiveness, we can move past the wrong that has been done to us and focus on the more positive aspects of our lives. It is also helpful to remember that no one is perfect, and that we all are in need of forgiveness at times. Forgiveness is truly a life skill from which all of us can benefit. I hope that you will join us in teaching (and learning) about forgiveness this month, and the enormous value it has in all of our lives.
