The older I get, the more I realize how much energy revenge sucks out of you. There was this one time I held onto resentment for years after a friend betrayed me—plotting comebacks, rehearsing speeches in my head. Then I saw them randomly at a grocery store, looking exhausted and unhappy, and it hit me: my bitterness hadn't hurt them at all. Just me.
Forgiveness isn't about excusing what happened. It's more like setting down luggage you've been dragging uphill. That doesn't mean you have to reconcile or even speak to the person again. But releasing the need to 'win' creates space for better things—new friendships, creative projects, even just peaceful mornings with your coffee. Revenge feels fiery in the moment, but forgiveness lets you reclaim your narrative.