🍃 Don’t Worry About the Past; Forgive and Forget 🍂
Definition:
The notion that one should let go of offenses or mistakes from the past, freeing themselves from emotional burdens, and look forward with a clear mind.
Meaning and Usage:
The phrase urges people to move past grievances and mistakes, emphasizing the importance of forgiving others and oneself to achieve peace.
Similar Terms:
- “Let bygones be bygones” 🌿
- “Wipe the slate clean” 🧽
- “Turn over a new leaf” 🍃
Antonyms:
- “Hold a grudge”
- “Bear a grudge”
- “Nursing a grievance”
Related and Similar Expressions:
- “Water under the bridge” 🌉
- “Live and let live” 🌱
- “Put it to bed” 🛏️
- “Bury the hatchet” 🪓
Quotes:
- “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” – Lewis B. Smedes 🕊️
- “Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.” – Oscar Wilde 😆
- “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” – Mahatma Gandhi 💪
Proverbs and Wisdom:
- “For many men are harsh and carry memories of their grudges waiting to be forgiven.” – Attributed to Cicero
- “Forgive and forget? It might just be the secret to eternal serenity!” – Confucian Saying (Humourous Phrasing)
Literature and Books:
- “The Count of Monte Cristo” by Alexandre Dumas as a study of revenge and forgiveness.
- “East of Eden” by John Steinbeck, touching on themes of sin, forgiveness, and redemption.
- “The Bluest Eye” by Toni Morrison, exploring complexities of trauma and the struggle for self-forgiveness.
Songs and Poetry:
- 🎶 “Forgive” by Rebecca Lynn Howard
- 📜 “Sonnet 35 (No More Be Grieved at That Which Thou Hast Done)” by William Shakespeare
- 🎶 “Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word” by Elton John
Movies:
- “The Railway Man” (2013), dealing profoundly with themes of forgiveness post-war.
- “Atonement” (2007), exploring regret, guilt, and the pursuit of forgiveness.
- “Forgiveness” (2004), a poignant narrative on the struggle and eventual reconciliation.
### Which idiom means to forget past grievances?
- [x] Let bygones be bygones
- [ ] Write in unwashable ink
- [ ] Dance with old shoes
- [ ] Catch the shadow
> **Explanation:** "Let bygones be bygones" suggests forgetting past disagreements or offenses, a theme similar to "forgive and forget."
### Which term is NOT related to forgiving?
- [ ] Wipe the slate clean
- [ ] Turn over a new leaf
- [ ] Bury the hatchet
- [x] Nurture a grievance
> **Explanation:** "Nurture a grievance" refers to maintaining and nurturing resentment, opposite to the notion of forgiving and forgetting.
### Complete the phrase: "Forgive and ____"
- [x] Forget
- [ ] Foresee
- [ ] Fasten
- [ ] Frighten
> **Explanation:** The complete phrase is "forgive and forget," encouraging the release of past grievances.
Remember, life’s too short to dwell on past mistakes or grievances. May each act of forgiveness be a stepping stone to your peace and happiness.
Yours sincerely,
A. Forseti Mindsworth 2023-10-01
