Families are a battle ground where the wounds of conflict can be carried for a life time. While at some point forgiveness seems in order, its withholding is an all too common theme in the exhausting contest to prove who’s right and who’s wrong.
Unforgiveness, depression, and health in later life: the protective factor of forgivingness
This intriguing study looks at the impact of unforgiveness on the health of older men and women. Not surprising, not being forgiven was detrimental to their health. Thankfully, self-forgivness and forgiving others was protective against depression for women even though they remained unforgiven by others. Sadly, the same was not true for men. Not being forgiven by others, despite self-forgiveness and forgiveness of others, had a strong correlation in men for depression later in life.