This powerful insight comes from C.S. Lewis’ 1960 book “The Four Loves,” a thoughtful exploration of the different forms of human love: affection, friendship, romantic love, and charity. A scholar and theologian known for blending intellect with empathy, Lewis didn’t shy away from acknowledging love’s risks alongside its rewards. Here, he highlights that to love anything is to open ourselves to pain and the possibility of heartbreak. His words encourage us to accept that love, with all its depth and meaning, inherently renders us vulnerable — but it’s this tension between love’s beauty and fragility that makes it so essential to the human experience.

When we are hurt, forgiving the people at fault can be incredibly difficult; we’re wired to keep defenses up to protect ourselves from more pain. But anger, resentment, and hatred are damaging emotions to hold onto, and a source of pain in themselves. Forgiving someone doesn’t have to mean reconciliation — it doesn’t change or condone the wrongs that were done — but it does help us let go of that negativity to make room to heal and move on. It “enlarges the future,” as Paul Boese wrote in 1967. The American businessman and writer published many of his philosophical thoughts in a weekly quote magazine, and his words on forgiveness have been an inspiration to countless people in the decades since. They remind us that forgiveness isn’t an eraser; it’s a blank page, and a chance to write a happier future.