You know those Bible story movies that come on late at night on the Christian TV station and nobody ever really watches them.... well, I just finished watching part of one. It was the story of Joseph, and the part I watched ended right around Genesis 50:20, "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive." In other words, Joseph told his brothers not to worry any more about the fact that they hated his guts, sold him into slavery, and let their dad think he was dead. Instead of holding all that against them, he said, "hey, why don't you guys all move here to Egypt with me, and I'll take care of you for the rest of your lives." HOW INCREDIBLE!!! I can hardly think of a better example of human forgiveness. Makes me think of how quick we are to hold a grudge or be on "non-speaking terms" or whatever the case may be. We somehow think our problems are soooo huge, like, "she didn't go to the movies with me, so she's not my best friend any more!" Okay, that makes it sound a little first-grade-ish, but in reality, most of the stuff we get worked-up over is just about as stupid as that! Lyrics to a song just came to my mind, so I'll go ahead and quote it, too.

"Let it be" by Superchick

some people bring you gifts, some bring you bricks to weigh you down, so they can swim a little higher while you drown. some people mean so well their way was the best way that they found, but any other way you chose is a brick that weighs you down. so tell me, what do I do with this backpack full of bricks, of sticks and stones and words that stuck to me like ticks?
Let it go, let it be. brick by brick we can be free of all the words we've saved till we were our own enemies. let it go, let it be. brick by brick we can believe in the person God intended us to be. let it be.
some people give themselves a brick, i know most people do. when we compare we fall short somewhere; it's always true. if all we see is where we fall we've bricked a prison wall. instead of trying to learn to fly we've taught ourselves to crawl. so tell me, what do I do with this backpack full of bricks of sticks and stones and words that stuck to me like ticks?
Let it go, let it be. brick by brick we can be free of all the words we've saved till we were our own enemies. let it go, let it be. brick by brick we can believe in the person God intended us to be. let it be.
we could believe in ourselves more. we could try for unique, instead of trying to conform. we could defy what they tell us. don't buy the lies they sell us. if we're brave we can believe in what we are. (chorus)

Okay, so there is a lot more to be learned from the story of Joseph besides just letting go of things, but I thought that was a good point in itself. I know it's something I've had to be reminded of recently.