In a world that’s rife with too much hate, anger, disappointment, division, and whatnot, what we need more than anything else in our daily lives during these unsettling times is forgiveness. Yes, we need love and peace and joy and all the trimmings that come with them to make us feel whole and valuable. But in order to get to that happy place, we have to take the humble road to healing that starts with, “I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”
As I write this article, I think of Michelle and Erik, two dynamic characters from The Doctor’s Secret Bride. Here are two people who were wronged, lied to, and who’d been disappointed by people in their lives—people they love and who claim to love them. Even though their attraction for each other is off the chart when they first meet, they are wary and distrustful of each other.
Consequently, when they fall in love, they end up hurting each other because they are already predisposed not to trust. They camouflage their vulnerabilities and hide their secrets and the true desires of their hearts from each other, until a simple misconstrued statement finally rips them apart. They both end up in a holding pattern. They are unable to move forward without each other, and it’s impossible for them to reconnect until something gives.
Hold on to your hats, people. Come on, this is a romance novel where Happily Ever After is the only possible climax…
Erik and Michelle do find their way back to each other. But only after one of them took the humble road to healing and said, “I’m sorry. Can you forgive me?” And the other responded, “I’m sorry, too. Can you forgive me?”
They kiss. They have hot makeup sex, and walk off into the sunset, hand in hand.
Our lives—in the real world—are a lot more complicated, and when we are wronged it’s hard for us to forgive and move on. But we must, if we want to find healing for our souls and move forward in life.
No preaching here. Just a word of advice: take a page from Erik and Michelle’s story and find your happy place.
I'm pretty sure once they made up, Michelle went shopping. It's what we do to boost our spirits. Right? Imagine her sitting in front of her computer with Erik's CC in hand...
I love how Michelle and Erik worked through so much pain to find happiness together
Hi Nico, sometimes we do have to go through the pain to find love and happiness. The lesson is to never give up. Thanks for your comment. Ana.
Forgiveness is something we mostly do for ourselves. Our holding on to unforgiveness hurts us more than the ones we refuse to forgive! I am glad to see that Erik and Michelle found that place where they could rise above the hurt, pain, disappointment, betrayal and other turns life threw their way and found a way to truly forgive. I loved this teaser you penned Ana, you must give us the complete meal. I like how you tied in the angst we are going through in today’s society to the things that are going on in Erik and Michelle’s lives that brought them to the place where they needed to forgive in order to heal. I love it and thank you for sharing.
Alice
Alice, thank you for that very detailed and enlightening response to the article. I always try to bring a sense of reality into my stories so my readers can identify with my characters in relation to what they are experiencing in their own lives. We all need forgiveness and healing more than anything in the world right now…for ourselves first and then for other… Blessings!
Ana.
Sounds like an interesting story
Thank you! It was a bestseller, so your thoughts are shared by thousands.