Today is one of my favorite holidays. It is Yom Kippur. No, I am not Jewish. I just think that setting one day aside per year for atonement is a good life practice. I think the United States ought to consider adopting a national holiday for a day of atonement. Nationally we could seek to make peace with so many adversaries. There is always a time to make peace. We should set one day per year aside just for that. I am not advocating that we adopt Yom Kippur as national holiday, but if we did, I would not complain but one iota.
In the course of human interaction we all inconvenience, marginalize, offend, and hurt others intentionally, unintentionally, consequentially, and even collaterally. We all have someone or something to atone for. Furthermore, we all have someone to atone with. Maybe they are an estranged spouse or family member or maybe someone that violated you or someone you violated.
Making atonement cleans out your emotional closet and makes room for positive feelings. It is good for you to forgive and to be forgiven. So my wish for you on this day is that you may forgive and that you are forgiven. That doesn't mean that you need to forget or allow negativity to persist. It just means that you let go of the resentment and the pain and that you use your power to release others from the same. It is quite powerful.
Happy Yom Kippur!
May you forgive and be forgiven.
