Racquelle -> RE: How to remove guilt/shame (8/16/2008 9:24:06 PM)
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My grandmother gave me an incredible handbuilt trunk as a wedding gift in 1992. It had been intended as a hope chest for a distant relative who died before she wed. It is very old, and was built by her father. I had it in my living room. It was covered with a cloth, but we had some plants sitting on top of it. Needless to say, the top was damaged very badly with a calcified ring and the finish was mangled. I kicked myself for years for this. It was such a huge thing that loomed in my head. The mistake was its own punishment really - having to see that awful ring every time I looked at it. I couldn't look at it. I covered it up - put it in a back closet. Then a man I worked with told me he had a side business refinishing antiques. I gave him another family heirloom that he did a nice job with. I brought him the trunk. He refinished it entirely, inside and out and it is so beautiful. There is just the faintest hint of the damage I did. I am so proud of it. I rarely think of how it was damaged, and feel none of that whincing pain. Personal forgiveness is a lot like that. We carry around the damage. We see what we did and it hurts all over again. Perhaps, we feel in our hearts, that we can never be forgiven for what we did - that we do not deserve forgiveness. Very few of us will actually do one of those things that mark us forever as a "bad person". Most of what we will do will fall under the class of "normal person made a mistake they don't want to repeat". I have found, sometimes, I can't forgive myself until I feel like the damage is undone. What did you do? How will you undo? As a dominant, I just can't imagine being able to punish a sub into self-forgiveness. The best I can do is assure them a personal afront to me has not particularly damaged me, or perhaps give a task or project that allows the damage to be undone. If a sub has displeased me, and can then please me - there it is - undone. No self flagellation required. And I try not to blow things out of proportion. (Except in a scene, for dramatic effect, but then we both know, it's part of the "play".)
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