Earlier this year Elizabeth Smart came and spoke in my city. She spoke about her childhood abduction and the difficulties she endured. She talked about how she dealt with not giving up and finding self worth. She talked about forgiveness.
She has been through so much! Yet what amazed me about her is her ability to be positive. She kept going after it all and found happiness. She has a career, is married, and has a family. She is happy today. Yet while she was going through her trials she felt hopeless.
The most powerful message that I learned from her is:
"Don't give up on happiness"
Even if you don't see it now or anywhere in your near future. It can happen for you like it happened for her!
She also talked about forgiveness. She talked about how her captors will never care whether she forgives them or not but that she has to do it for herself. She said that:
"Forgiveness is letting go and moving on with your life."
Forgiveness for her was setting goals and moving forward. It was letting go. Not because they deserved to be forgiven but because she deserved happiness.
