From darkness to light: The path of forgiveness.

Hatred is a poison that guarantees its own misery. Observe the bitterness that consumes us when we hate: we fixate on another's ruin, delight in their failures, and wish them pain. In doing so, we do not harm them half as much as we deform ourselves. Hatred reduces us to miserable, demonic figures, condemned to dwell in darkness and spread only malice.

Therefore, the only path to liberation is forgiveness. It is not merely an act of charity toward the offender, but a vital necessity for the one who carries the burden of resentment. Without it, our thoughts become fixated on destruction. We risk committing acts we would later be ashamed to admit, all fueled by a consuming desire for another's downfall. This corrosive state naturally breeds jealousy and envy, leading to a profound moral decay. Blinded by our own pain, we become trapped in a cycle of resentment—a silent, self-justifying hatred that whispers, "They deserve it," or "Good riddance."

Seeking vengeance does not elevate you; it diminishes you. To have known suffering and then to wish it upon others is the ultimate betrayal of your own experience. What true lesson did your pain teach if not more hatred, malice, and hypocrisy? When vengeance becomes your compass, you are already lost.

Such a path leads only to ruin. The soul that refuses to forgive and love ultimately refuses to grow. It seeks solace in empty excess and fleeting pleasure, forever haunted by a happiness that has fled. These individuals often come to despise themselves, hiding their poisoned hearts just as a coward hides in shadow to do evil. They may even gather others like themselves, forming a hollow court of judgment to condemn the world, believing they have escaped justice. But human judgment can be evaded; divine reckoning cannot.

No one wishes to revisit a shameful past. Yet it is that very past—and our choice to transcend it—that defines us. The true purpose of life's trials, humiliations, and pains is not to break us, but to beautify our inner being. As we age, we have a duty to become models. We must strive to be a better version of our predecessors, learning from their failures and our own.

This transformative process is fueled by love, learned through hardship. It leads us to a happiness that is internal and unshakable, independent of external circumstance. We become beings of light, like a sun that shines equally on all. In this state, our respect and consideration for others are granted freely, without regard for status or wealth. We begin to truly know ourselves, and thus understand others, glimpsing the deeper mysteries of existence. This is the power of love: it is the path to wisdom and the revelation of our true nature—creatures meant to emanate light, not dwell in shadow.

Forgiveness, then, is the extraordinary key to this transformation. It is the accelerated means through which we experience love's redemptive power. It is profoundly difficult, yet the moment it is achieved, a universe of possibility opens. We touch the divine, understanding the plea, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." We see that those who hurt us are often blind, acting out of their own trapped pain. They possess intellect yet choose to act worse than beasts—destroying not for survival, but from a simple, tragic lack of forgiveness.

And when you finally perform this act of loving forgiveness, you are justified. It is as if the heavens affirm: "This is my beloved child, in whom I am well pleased."

Remember, truth is not found in the roar of the earthly crowd, but in the silent testimony of the celestial multitude—the inner voice that witnesses to what is right. This truth is a sacred trust, to be held within you humbly, a quiet light to guide your way.

Marius Y. M. C. Oula