Isnt it funny how we make rational excuses for being out of alignment? We say, Well, this ____ and that ____ happened, so it makes perfect sense for me to be feeling like this ____ and wanting to do this ____. Yet, to this day, I have never met a happy person who adheres to those excuses. In fact, each time I or anyone else decide to give in to rational excuses that justify feeling bad its interesting that only further suffering is the result. There is never a good enough reason for us to be out of alignment with peace. Sure, we can go there and make choices that dim our lights and that is fine; there certainly is purpose for it and the contrast gives us lessons to learn yet if were aware of what we are doing and were ready to let go of the suffering then why go there at all? Its like beating a dead horse. Been there, done that so why do we keep repeating it? Pain is going to happen; its inevitable in this human experience, yet it is often so brief. When we make those excuses, what happens is: we pick up that pain and begin to carry it with us into the next day and the next day into next week maybe next month and some of us even carry it for years or to our graves! Forgive, let it go! It is NOT worth it! It is NEVER worth it. There is never a good enough reason for us to pick up that pain and carry it with us. There is never a good enough reason for us to be out of alignment with peace. Unforgiveness hurts you; it hurts others, so why even go there? Why even promote pain? Why say painful things to yourself or others? Why think pain? Just let it go! Whenever I look back on painful things or feel pain today, I know it is my EGO that drives me to go there. The EGO likes to have the last word, it likes to feel superior, it likes to make others feel less than in hopes that it will make itself (me) feel better about my insecurities. Maybe if I hurt them enough, they will feel the pain I felt over what they did to me. Its only fair! Its never my fault; its always someone elses. There is a twisted sense of pleasure I get from feeling this way, and my EGO eats it right up. YET! With awareness that continues to grow and expand each day, I choose to not feed my pain (EGO) or even go there. I still feel it at times, of course, so I simply acknowledge it and then release it. I HAVE power and choice over my speech and actions. I do not need to ever go there again. Its my choice; its your choice. So its about damn time we start realizing this. We are not victims of our impulses or emotions; we have the power to control them, and so its time to stop acting like we dont. Its time to relinquish the excuses.