Forgiveness is one of the most powerful actions you can take to improve your emotional well-being. And forgiveness is, indeed, an action. Books have been written about the topic; and people’s lives are being changed everyday, by the simple utterance of these 3 words: “I forgive you”. The truth is, you can also learn this powerful emotion, by simply absorbing the messages found in many of the movies that you watch.

There are many films that deal with the topic of forgiveness. These movies provide an inspirational example of how far you can go in life, by simply choosing to let go of your grudges.

 

1. Avatar

In Avatar, the people of Pandora are being forced out of their land, by the government. The government sends a liaison to Pandora, named Jake Sully, to gain the trust of the people. At the end of the movie, events collide, and we are treated to a thrill ride of an ending.

The final act of Avatar, is where an act of forgiveness takes place. Upon hearing of Jake’s true intentions, the people of Pandora are outraged. Especially his lover, Neytiri. Her people tie up Jake, leaving him to die. But after time has passed, something changes in Neytiri. Whether the forgiveness is caused by her realization of past love, or seeing the suffering face of her lover when confronted with a near-death situation, her attitude quickly changes. She forgives Jake for pain and anguish she has caused, in order to save his life.

If you’re reading this, then you probably can’t relate directly to this story. However, you can relate to the overall message. There may be someone in your life, who has deeply upset you in the past. They may have done something terribly stupid, and/or heartless. There is a decent chance that they feel just as bad as you do about the past. Forgiveness can free both of your heads, so you can fill them with more pleasant things.

The past is the past. It has already passed, and it’s time to let go. Move on to a better life.

 

2. The Bucket List

In “The Bucket List, Edward Cole (Jack Nicholson) becomes great friends with Carter Chambers (Morgan Freeman). Throughout their journey, Carter tries to reunited Edward with his daughter. Edward forcefully refuses. He is so angry at Carter, that he breaks their friendship.

Eventually, only many years later, Edward symbolically forgives Carter by reuniting with his daughter. It’s quite sad, but you don’t have to be a victim to this kind of resentment. Forgive while the one who has wronged you is alive. You’ll save yourself a lot of long term negative emotional energy. Remember one thing: Holding a grudge hurts you, more than it hurts the person you hold the grudge against. Much more.

Just let go. Life is just a game.

 

3. The Pursuit of Happyness

Chris Gardner had to overcome many obstacles in his life. Without forgiveness, he would not have been able to overcome any of them. “The Pursuit of Happyness” is an example of unconscious forgiveness. It is the act of forgiving others without using any energy.

Along the journey to become a stock broker, Garner faces various obstacles. They included: His wife leaving him, and severe poverty. What if Chris decided to hold a grudge against his wife? She left him at the time when he was most in need. Because his wife left him, he had to live on his own, without her support.

Isn’t it nice to subconsciously forgive? You have one less thing to worry about, and it happens almost instantly. You don’t waste your emotional energy, and you can focus on what is most important in your life. Remember: You are the number one priority. Your emotions are greatly weighed down by holding a grudge. When facing a difficult situation, like that of Chris Gardner, your head must be free of distractions. Failure to forgive is one of the biggest distractions you can have in your life.

Another occurrence of forgiveness in The Pursuit of Happyness, is when Chris’s son forgave him for being stuck in a horrible financial situation. As a young child, Christopher had to deal with the poverty of his father. This is terribly traumatic for a young child to go through. Chris’s son could have easily held a grudge. Instead, he chose to grow closer with his father.

It’s funny how life works: When you don’t forgive, a tragedy usually develops. When you do forgive, life can become a comedy.

 

4. Resurrecting the Champ

Resurrecting the Champ is a very underrated film. It is about a homeless, former boxer name Tommy Kincaid (Samuel L. Jackson); and a hopeful New York journalist named Erik Kernan (Josh Hartnett). In the film, Tommy Kincaid pretends to be a different person. He masks his own identity, and lies to a reporter. Would you take kindly to a man who lies to you? A man who lies about his own identity, and completely tarnishes your personal reputation?

Kernan was initially outraged. He couldn’t believe that he had been fooled. However, he began to feel sympathy for Tommy Kincaid. Even some pity. Kincaid was so insecure about who he was, that he pretended to be another person! It goes to show; if you are holding a grudge, then you probably don’t know the whole story. In human communication, there always seems to be some misunderstanding between parties. In Resurrecting the Champ, Kernan didn’t know Kinciad’s story, and held a grudge. Once he knew more about the homeless boxer, Kernan forgave him for what he had done, and they became good friends. This brings me to a strong point: Forgiveness can turn enemies into friends. It sounds goofy, but it’s true.

Enemies + Forgiveness = Liberation.

 

5. Pan’s Labyrinth

Pan’s Labyrinth is not an example of forgiveness in cinema; but rather, what happens when you don’t forgive. Captain Vidal is one of the most ruthless movie villains I have seen to this day. He kills without remorse, and he lacks compassion. At the very end of the movie, the viewers are led to believe that he will make a change for the better. Instead, he commits a horrible act, and the movie ends on a very sad note.

What was Captain Vidal’s problem? One possible explanation, is a lack of forgiveness. Perhaps he had a horrible childhood; maybe his mom and dad were bad parents, and he was picked on in school? And what if he never forgave anyone for their wrongdoings; no matter how big or little? They could all have added up, to unleash his inner monster. War can do no good. Even the little wars that we go through in everyday life.

Holding on to grudges will make you irritable, senselessly angry, and immoral. It can turn a person who was once good, into a horrible, sadistic, psychopath. Forgiveness is the only solution to this type of situation. Use it to your advantage, even if your situation isn’t so bad.

Grudges pile up, like a junkyard. But this type of junkyard, lies in your head. Incinerate the garbage before it incinerates your life. Forgive.

 

Conclusion

I could go on and on, but I will stop here. With all of the movies that you have seen in your life, you have also seen many examples of the power of forgiveness. You have seen forgiveness at work, and you have seen all of it’s wonderful benefits. When all is said and done, the final decision is up to you. Will you choose to suffer in disarray, refusing to forgive? Or will you choose to free your mind of grudges, and focus on creating a positive experience? The choice is entirely up to you.

More Articles!:

1. Resurrecting the Champ – Essential Life Lessons
2. Baby Mama – Essential Life Lessons
3. Movies, They Keep us Going

As the new decade approaches; I’m grateful for all of my family and friends. I am also grateful for my health. For me, the top 3 priorities in life are:

-Health – Without it, nothing else matters.

-Family – I went through a tough time with my health. I couldn’t have made it through without the love and support of my family.

-Friends – Similar to having a second family. Although you can’t choose your family, you can choose your friends. The people that you surround yourself with, tell you a lot about yourself. A good friend is someone you resonate with, someone who supports you through thick and thin, and someone who you can always count on. There aren’t many things in life, that can compare to a great friendship.

Health, Family, and Friends. Everything else takes a back seat. Even money. Thanks for reading; once again, I hope you have a wonderful year!

More Articles!:

1. Curious Case of Benjamin Button – Essential Themes
2. K-Pax – Analyzing the Important Questions
3. The Shining – Loneliness and Isolation