I do not know half of these special days in United States, got Earth Day, Secretary Day, Children Day....this day that day to create awareness of some sort.
But this one is a good one, it is not made for massive merchandising, to sell cards or flowers; it is a time to reflect. And its main purpose is not just ask you to forgive someone offended you, it asks you to forgive yourself.
Many time in life we carry burden we did not have to, in golf it does the same thing. We are the one who stop us from moving forward, we are the one who expects the most from ourselves and put on extra loads and do not know how to forgive ourselves when we do make mistakes sometime.
Things happened and it may not happen the way we want to, we must learn how to forgive ourselves and let go.
There was a Zen story about a master monk bringing 3 student monks to a training, monk in Asia is not suppose to touch women, not even have direct eye contact as ancients instructed. Here by these monks are going to cross a shallow river, they saw a beautiful young lady holding a basket of food but staring at the water, she is so slim and fragile but the river's current is so strong, she is afraid to go across.
The master monk never thought of the consequences but to offer help to this young lady, she gracefully accepted and let him hold her on his back, he carried her through the river toward the opposite side. When they landed together, she thanked him and split the road.
The 3 students were speechless, they looked at each other and did not make a noise; until some hours later on the road, one of them could not suppress himself but ask his master:
"I don't understand, master, aren't we not suppose to touch women?"
"Yes, that is what we were taught, women represent temptation." Master answered.
"Then why did you carry that woman across the river? You both had close contact on the body, this is forbidden in our teaching!"
"My boy, that was 3 hours ago. I have already forgot about it, at that moment she needs help, didn't I teach you to land a helping hand whenever needed?"
"Yes you did, my master." the students nodded but still confused.
"The teaching taught us not to touch women because of the temptation posed, she is simply a person who needs help at that moment, did not pose any temptations to me, my intention was pure. I offered help yet kept my pure intention, it did not contradict our teaching. You are the one who contradict the teaching by letting it bother your mind in the last 3 hours! I let it go at the moment the lady landed on the ground. Now do you understand?!"
"Yes we understand now master, we created the trouble in our mind, if we let go like the way you did, it wouldn't make us so uncomfortable for 3 hours. As long as we keep our intention pure, we should shield ourselves from all other distraction."
Forgive and forget, don't put any extra burdens in our mind and our heart, that is what the story told I guess.
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