Editorial: Gratefulness, forgiveness as we welcome 2020

IN TWO days, we will welcome a new year and a new decade.

This year has been quite eventful for many of us as we experienced our ups and downs. We may have not also met our expectations like crossing out our resolutions for 2019. With the experiences we had in 2019, every individual will feel something different as we enter a new decade.

However, may we suggest that we welcome 2020 with thankfulness and forgiveness in our hearts. These may seem simple actions but are not easy to do.

The simple act of saying "Thank you" to someone who has done good to us, we even tend to forget. Others even fail genuinely to say thank you to the taxi driver who brought them safely to their destination, the delivery man who brought their online order, or to the security guard who opened the door for us.

Robert Emmons, a scientific expert on gratitude, said gratitude has two components.

"First, it's an affirmation of goodness. We affirm that there are good things in the world, gifts, and benefits we've received," he said.

Second, Emmons said, we recognize that the sources of this goodness are outside of ourselves.

"We acknowledge that other people gave us many gifts, big and small, to help us achieve the goodness in our lives,” he said.

One way or another, someone has extended kindness to us in 2019 – a random stranger, an old friend, or a family member.

This year we may have done something wrong to someone or the other way around. Apologies have been given but have we asked for forgiveness or given one?

Forgiveness is much harder than it sounds. While it may be easy for us to say "sorry", forgiveness is a different story. It is not easy to ask someone for forgiveness and it is harder to forgive someone, especially if they have done something really bad to us.

In an article by Psychology Today, forgiveness is "the release of resentment or anger. Forgiveness doesn’t mean reconciliation. One doesn't have to return to the same relationship or accept the same harmful behaviors from an offender."

"Forgiveness is vitally important for the mental health of those who have been victimized. It propels people forward rather than keeping them emotionally engaged in injustice or trauma. Forgiveness has been shown to elevate mood, enhance optimism, and guard against anger, stress, anxiety, and depression," it said.

For his part, Pope Francis said if we do not forgive one another, we close the doors on other people.

As Christians, we have been taught that we should forgive just as how Jesus has forgiven us from all our sins.

As we enter 2020, let us reflect on the great things that happened to us this 2019. There are a lot of things to be thankful for – being alive, good friends, a job, a home, a loving family, and being able to eat three times a day, among others.

Likewise, let us release our grudges towards other people. Let us muster the courage and be brave enough to forgive one another. Let us work on not entering 2020 with grudges in our hearts.

Let us welcome the new year with a heart of thanksgiving and forgiveness.

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