When I was 24, I used to brag about my photographic memory. One day, someone said, “That’s both a blessing and a curse.” I laughed it off, thinking they were just jealous. But, turns out, they were right.
Here’s the thing: when you have an amazing memory, it’s easy to replay every moment like it just happened yesterday.
Good memories? They feel like instant joy. But the bad ones? Oof. It’s like ripping off the same emotional bandage over and over. Especially when it’s about what someone “did” to us. You feel the hurt all over again, and forgiveness? Not even on the table—because you remember.
Sound familiar?
I was stuck there too. Holding onto every slight, every hurt, convinced that forgetting was impossible and forgiveness wasn’t worth it. Here’s the punch line: forgetting isn’t the key—you already know this. You try to forget, but with an amazing memory, it keeps coming back, hurting you and starting the cycle all over again. I call this the Replay Rut. The key is FORGIVENESS.
I learned to forgive myself for reliving those moments (because, hey, I can’t help it!) and, more importantly, to forgive those who hurt me. Not to let them off the hook, but to free myself from carrying that weight. Life got lighter. My heart felt clearer. And suddenly, forgiveness wasn’t just a word—it was freedom.
So if you’ve got a memory that just won’t quit, remember: you don’t have to forget to move forward.
Forgiveness is more than enough.