Nakedly Selfish

As long as we cling to such resentments over old injuries, we continue to injure ourselves. ...

If we don’t break this cycle and heal from the pain of our pasts, eventually the need for relief from guilt and shame will drive us to drink or use again. That is the most nakedly selfish reason that we must forgive others for wronging us. ~ SerenityWeb.com

Selfish is bad enough, but nakedly selfish?
Lacking consideration for others,
concerned with our own profit or pleasure.
Yes, that's selfish in a nutshell.
But when you forgive others for hurting us?
How can that possibly be selfish?
Well, how can it help them
if it's postmortem or we can't find them?
We still must forgive. Because
the guard is constrained
like the prisoner he watches
and we're the guard so long as we resent.
Even if the cretin benefits by our amends
does that stop us from profiting?
Pain. Fear. Resentment. Hatred. Loathing.
We own them until we let them go
and when we do we profit. We recovery.
It's worth being nakedly selfish if that's
the prize.

 

Drawing by Jeremy Griffith. © Fedmex Pty Ltd 1996