I have been thinking about this for a long time. There are many lessons I have learned through mistakes that I made in the past. These are not "bad" things necessarily, but they make up who I am today. There are also some things that I needed to forgive in myself to move on, to learn to accept the love of God and others. I like to think that I have done this - those things don't haunt me - but self-forgiveness was required.
Likewise, there are hurts that others inflicted on me and I on them. I want desperately to let go of that and move on to something better. I have forgiven, but I wait to
be forgiven. How do I get that message to her?
Someone suggested recently that I write to her. If she doesn't read it that is her choice, but I can tell her how I feel, that I have forgiven and there is something better for us. So this message is for my step-daughter, whom I love today even though at times I did not like her in the past; who is welcome in our house and our lives when she is ready to let go of the past and welcome something better.