Some people would rather die than forgive. It's a strange truth but forgiveness is a painful and difficult process. It is not something that can happen overnight, but is an evolution of the heart. The first step is to understand that forgiveness doesn't exonerate the perpetrator. It liberates the victim. It is a gift you give yourself.

There's a local councillor who once cursed me in front of people after I wrote a "juicy" article in the local weekly tabloid about poor service delivery that I couldn't forgive. But it ate at the very core of my heart and being. True to Mike Lipkin's words, he took permanent residence in my mind without paying rent. He controlled my emotions because every time I saw him, I got angry for no reason.

The minute I set him free through forgiveness, my life got back to normal. I became a free and jovial soul again. Forgiveness doesn't change the past, it enlarges the future. And true forgiveness is when you can say: "Thank you for the experience." Forgiveness is the best form of love in any relationship.

Samuel Radebe, Heilbron