9/11/2025 “Why Is Offering Forgiveness So Difficult” with Diane Wilde

What happens when we refuse to forgive? We’ve all felt it—holding on to insults or painful actions done to us, or replaying the memory of harm caused to others. Old wounds harden into resentment, anger drains our energy, and self-blame keeps us stuck in the past. Buddhism offers another way: forgiveness as a path to freedom. By letting go of grudges, daring to ask for forgiveness, and softening toward ourselves, we release the poisons that cloud the heart. In doing so, we also loosen the grip of the restless ego.

Tonight’s talk will offer some inspirational stories of forgiveness and will invite you to explore forgiveness in your own lives. Genuine forgiveness is not a weakness or forgetting, but is a courageous practice that restores peace, clarity, and compassion.