My reflection post-reading chapter 18 of the book. I deem forgiveness as an opportunity to look at the situation positively. When someone does something to hurt us, we start hating that person. It often results in adverse changes in our mood and a thirst to take revenge. We don’t get satisfied until and unless we retaliate. Once we maintain this as a habit, people notice behavioural changes, and that is how we enter into a vicious cycle that traps us for life.
My middle school experience is something that I describe as terrible. The reason for that is the bullying I faced as we entered into a wider world. Till fifth grade, our innocent selves don’t let materialistic items affect our judgement. But in sixth grade, as we enter into the world of unavoidable changes, we can’t help judging a person by the way they look, how someone performs in their studies and much more. I was a victim of that and possibly an attacker. I kept that with me for a long time, resulting in my grades and academic life deteriorating.
Eighth grade was a breath of fresh air. Covid pandemic hit, and we were all trapped into lockdown.
Eighth grade was like an opportunity to escape my struggling social life. I had a chance to get away from all my friends and classmates and be the ones I loved. And that made all the difference. I felt refreshed, and I was a lot more cheerful and happy. But I realised that my happiness was not a by-product of avoiding people. I became happy when I decided to forgive everyone who hurt me in the past in one way or another. I forgot all about my past misery and people who had actively been a part of it. It made me feel a lot better.
After two years of break from social life, I enjoy school. I may not have a lot of friends, but I have what I need. Going back to school wouldn’t have felt this good if we wouldn’t have been trapped in lockdown, and I wouldn’t have been as forgiving as I am now. But now I know that forgiveness is extraordinary, and I am trying my best to apologise and forgive anyone I hurt or anyone who hurt me.
Simar Kaur Grade X Gyanshree School
