“To err is human; to forgive is divine.” — Alexander Pope

This resonates well with where I am at. My dad definitely ‘err’ed. However, I cannot throw the baby out with the bathwater. I have to recognize the other 21 years of my life where my dad raised me and took care of me. My dad hugged me everyday and told me he loved me. My dad came to most of my events like baseball, basketball, football, concert band, jazz band, musicals, and who knows what else. My dad tried to be there for all of it. My dad told me I could do anything I set my mind to. Part of the reason I am who I am today is because he still believes in me.

Today, I choose to no longer define him by his greatest mistake in my life.

I choose to no longer define myself by the greatest mistake he made in my life.

I choose to define him by the 21 years he was a good father to me.

I will define myself by the healing and growth I am gaining moving forward.

What do you define yourself by?

Who has hurt you?

Who do you need to forgive?