I have a friend who had a falling out with one of her closest friends. Haven’t we all had that experience?The context which brought the rift on is not important. One of them was having a hard time emotionally but did not feel comfortable sharing the reason. The other friend, somehow made it be about her. WARNING – not everything unspoken is to be interpreted personally as an insult or slight. Sometimes, there needs to be an interlude to heal, feel and let go. But what was important was the friend’s inability to let it go. This a story about friends who had been there for each other for decades. They now were at an impasse. Feelings were hurt and the one who made it be about her could not – would not move forward. This behavior just makes the hole become deeper. I was dragged in to hear each other’s version of events. It was like watching two chickens fighting over a piece of corn. So much squawking. Way too much wing flapping. I wasn’t sure they even knew anymore what they were fighting about. They both were so hell bent on being right.

Ultimately, one was willing to move forward, the other not. They both missed each other deeply. I am a
pragmatist at heart. I listened but when someone is not willing to let go – there is no path forward. Getting stuck

• Oh how we see this over and over played out in world events. Life is short. Not all arguments need to be endlessly litigated. Bad moments happen. A sleepless night/ an emotional outburst. At one point, I was done being the intermediary. My suggestion was to they should meet at a neutral place. A park bench – a restaurant. Both appear carrying flowers, a jar of jam – something – give each other a hug and never speak of it again. Move forward…

When we forgive, we liberate ourselves from the emotional burden of past hurts, allowing us to focus on
the present and future. This emotional freedom is a cornerstone of resilience. By letting go of negative emotions, we create mental space to adapt, learn, and grow from challenges. In essence, forgiveness is a catalyst for building resilience, empowering us to overcome obstacles and thrive in the face of adversity. There doesn’t have to be a winner and therefore a loser. There just needs to be a path to move forward!

Love is resilience.