Real forgiveness in close relationships is never easy. It can’t be rushed or engineered.

We nurture our sense of connection with the larger whole, noticing that the whole is only as healthy as its smallest part.

Forgiveness is a personal process that doesn’t depend on us having direct contact with the people who have hurt us.

Sanskrit has different words to describe love for a brother or sister, love for a teacher, love for a partner, love for one’s friends, love of nature, and so on. English has only one word, which leads to never-ending confusion.

Without equanimity, we might give love to others only in an effort to bridge the inevitable and healthy space that always exists between two people.

Mindfulness won’t ensure you’ll win an argument with your sister. Mindfulness won’t enable you to bypass your feelings of anger or hurt either. But it may help you see the conflict in a new way, one that allows you to break through old patterns.