I wish you a beautiful, peaceful, and happy New Year!
May your end-of-year celebrations be restful and joyful.
On Christmas Day, I visited the highest mountain in Germany—the Zugspitze—with my father.
Everything was blanketed in snow, the sun was shining, and the view was breathtaking.
My father is 84 years old and has dementia—Alzheimer’s. Contrary to what is often the case with this illness, he is in wonderful spirits all the time. He blesses and appreciates every second, every encounter, every mountain peak, and every moment we spend together.
This hasn’t always been the case. My father used to be a rather strict and driven person, and I wasn’t always able to receive his love or appreciate our time together in the way I do now. After many years of working on myself—learning how to forgive all there was to forgive—I finally managed to let it go: every last piece of the story I had been holding onto.
The result has been remarkable, now, there is nothing left but love, even when, 30 minutes after descending the mountain, my father can no longer remember where we had been. He does not remember that we just ascended the mountain.
So all we have is the present moment, and each moment counts to the fullest.
I am profoundly grateful to have been able to share this experience with him and feel the gratitude for this moment while he is still alive.
Here is my invitation—or perhaps encouragement—to you: if you can, try to forgive all there is to forgive and let it go. All of it. Forgive so your heart can be light and at peace. Give thanks for what is, not least the gift of your life.
If forgiveness still feels impossible or difficult, that’s perfectly okay—because forgiving can take time. You might find comfort in speaking these four sentences in your heart, while thinking of the person you wish to forgive:
“Thank you. I am sorry. Please forgive me. I love you.”
This is the Hoʻoponopono prayer, you might know it and I encourage you to try it, as it can shift the energy between you and the other person.
Forgiveness is not about them or what they did or failed to do.
It’s about you—about letting go, saying yes to love, and finding freedom in your heart.
I know many of us are in similar situations as our parents age. Finding the right balance between distance and closeness can be a challenge, in particular if they are sick and in need of help.
Forgiveness is a gift you can give yourself for the coming year and focusing on gratitude is a way to feel at peace, despite the difficult times this world is facing.
If not now, when?
I wish you a beautiful New Year—one in which you align with your wishes, values, goals, and dreams—a step toward your destiny.
With love, always, Irene
