How will you forgive someone who doesn't ask for forgiveness?

Philippines
July 16, 2010 7:21am CST
I just wanna ask you guys if you can forgive someone who does not admit his/her guilt and neither asks for forgiveness. Because i know someone who used to be close to me and she did so many bad things to hurt my feelings. And now she's returning into my life acting as if nothing happened, no apologies or any equivalent word. How do we accept someone like her back into our lives?
4 people like this
16 responses
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
16 Jul 10
You're under no obligation to let her back into your life. You probably should forgive her, if only for yourself, but that doesn't mean that you have to forget or let her be part of your life again.
@dawnald (85135)
• Shingle Springs, California
17 Jul 10
Well then just be careful around her and don't trust her.
• Philippines
18 Jul 10
Well yes, i'm still very careful when she's around. I don't want her to hear anything from me that might lead her to thinking that she can control me again. Some people have the tendency to think that everything's ok even if it's wrong if you won't show any reaction.
1 person likes this
• Philippines
17 Jul 10
I feel like i have to forgive this person, but i'm not yet ready to forget all that happened. It's like i'd be fooling myself or being pretentious only. What's hard for me is that she is somehow part of my family that i'm so pressured sometimes to welcome her back. I guess she feels like she's forgiven because i still treat her right until now. But deep inside i can't get over with the thought that one day she will be causing me pain again.
1 person likes this
@syankee525 (6261)
• United States
16 Jul 10
well you forgive people not so much for them, but for yourself. because if you hold onto it, it will drive you nuts. but the trust for them is less then before and you kind be like ok yeah if they do the samething then you're not surpise. with me depend what it is i can forgive people. but if its something really bad then i do have trouble forgiving such as stealing from me, hurting someone in my family.
• Philippines
16 Jul 10
Thanks for your meaningful response. I welcome this person into my home again but whenever i see her i can't help but remember all the demeaning words she said behind my back (she dosn't know that i caught her so many times doing so). It's just hard to forget that there was a time when you completely trusted this person but she had the heart to think of bad things about you.
• United States
16 Jul 10
yeah i know.. one of my closest friend was the same way.he listen to rumors and we got into it. almost got into a fist fight, he even threaten my life before. and then one day we started to talk again, then he came over.. but things wont be the same for us as before.. because of what happen
@deebomb (15304)
• United States
9 Jul 12
Hello wildflower. A person forgives for ones self as much as for the person doing you a wrong. would say that if tat person doesn't ask for forgiveness they will do the same thing to you again and again because they are not sorry. But forgiveness doesn't mean that you have to be friends or allow them back into your home or life again..
@quangnhu (31)
• Vietnam
17 Jul 10
Dear friend... In my country, the best character of men in my country is altruistic...Maybe she has mistakes, but...somtimes you shoul think about yourself. You and your girl friend can discussion together straightly. Nobody is not has mistakes in the life. Enlarge your character, open your soul together and begin again. Happy a life!
• Philippines
2 Aug 10
I'm also a woman, and this other woman used to be very close to me. A relative of some sort. Lately I realized that there really is no use resenting her forever. I'm starting to accept that it's gonna be me who will suffer more if i'm gonna wait for her to ask for my forgiveness.
@bentreed (31)
• United States
29 Jul 10
We are urged and commanded by God to forgive so that we may be forgiven. It doesn't matter whether the person has asked for it or not. Its you the affected party who suffers most in the case of whether you forgive or not.
@chayapathys (2111)
• India
23 Aug 10
"If you don't forgive you will never grow" is the ancient saying.Yes it is correct even today.Even law recognises mercy petitions. Under Indian constitution there is provision for the criminals to file mercy petrition to the President of Indis.Therefore forgiveness is universally accepted act in any civilised society.But the problem comes when dealing with individual cases.Mentally man is prepared to forgive.But society encourages him to forgive for the main reason of co-existence.Suppose the concept of forgiveness is not there there is choas in this world. The nest question is to what extent forgiveness is appropriate and tolerable. It depends upon one's attitude and the nature of offence.Leave alone law how far forgiveness leaves good onsequences.Many who believe in taking vengence feel it does not. The present day violence in all parts of the world is due to the belief that forgiveness has no role to play in the world.All wars were fought only on this principle. But all religions preach forgiveness only. If only man is religious I think forgiveness need not need not be taught separately
• Philippines
1 Jun 12
hello fellow lotters, i'm back here after 2 years and i can say that i was already able to forgive this person totally even without the apologies. congrats to myself! :D
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
17 Jul 10
Hi Wildflow, Welcome to Mylot! You don't just accept someone like that back into your life without a long and serious talk about what went wrong the first time around. It would not work. You would always be waiting for the same old hurts to happen again. I think you would have to tell this person how you feel and why. Trust has been broken. If you decide to give another chance then move slowly. Your friendship can not possibly pick up where it was before all the hurt. Also, it is possible to forgive someone without letting them into your life close enough to infect it again. For example, I forgave my ex-husband. I don't feel anger or bitterness toward him at all anymore. Still, enough happened between us that I don't want to be best buds with him either. It's like he is a person that I have no emotional attachment to. He is not my friend but he is not my enemy either.
@ebuscat (5935)
• Philippines
17 Jul 10
For me be friendly to them again and no bad thing's happened is you both.
• United States
17 Jul 10
You really don't, although the relationship appears to be friendly that little voice speaks to you always that you can no longer have the same friendship as before.
• Philippines
17 Jul 10
In your situation, forgiving is a solution but not just as that. You two have to settle what you have come up with coz true and real friends need to value each and others' issues. Well, talk to her and settle your recent arguments. Ignoring the issue is not good.
@jonnah91 (63)
• Philippines
17 Jul 10
I will ignore her up to the time she will realize her own fault. She should know how to adjust her pride in order gain other's trust again. make her understand what you want and let her learn.
17 Jul 10
Although someone who does not ask for forgiveness, we don't keep anything in our heart because that make our more tired and feel wretched. We let off the anyone mistake. We'll to feel happiness and this world is our.
• United States
17 Jul 10
I think you need to talk to her and explain nicely how you feel. If you don't get this issue resolved you will always resent her. And if she still doesnt apologize after you tell her how you feel then thats not a friend you want in your life. Good luck
• India
29 Jul 10
I don't what to answer... u please let me know what u have answered her. I feel bad for you for your girl hurting you. However i hope u would understand her and forgive at least if u don't accept her back in your life....
@ilann1 (372)
• Israel
16 Jul 10
If 'we' feel it's the right thing to do, then we accept the person who she is, whether she asks for forgiveness or not, if 'we' get along with her, need her, enjoy her and so on we shall accept her anyway, apology or not. Second, 'we' should probably first of all tell her about the situation and how we feel about it and maybe she'll change her mind or do something about it. You can't just expect somebody to read your minds.
@rosebinas (180)
• Philippines
16 Jul 10
Well, before I accept that person back, I'll tell him what he did to me that made me really mad. And that, he needs to apologize first, or else- there is no way, I'm taking him back in. After all the hurt he has put me through? No way!