You do not owe anyone your forgiveness. If you are not ready to forgive someone, you do not have to. Forgiveness is something that only you can give. No one makes you, and not all people deserve forgiveness. A sincere apology is an apology with change. If someone apologizes but does not change then it’s not sincere at all. It takes courage to admit when you’re wrong and strength to change. There are people in this world who are too prideful to apologize. It’s important to remember that not all apologies are meaningful. Sometimes even though people apologize it doesn’t change the way we feel. It’s okay to still be hurt. Forgiveness means acceptance in my opinion. There’s this practice called “radical acceptance”. It means completely accepting what you cannot change. This way you can stop dwelling on the past and stop blaming others, including yourself. Forgiveness can be better for you than the person apologizing. It means letting go of your hurt and allowing change in your life. Peace is something that can’t be forced. Peace doesn’t mean only being happy. Peace, to me, is the calm after the storm. The storm is the representation of powerful negative emotions and it doesn’t last forever. Even the smallest things in life can cause great stress, and bigger issues can harm us for years. Healing is a long complicated process. Everyone handles it differently. Be gentle with yourself. Treat yourself the way you want others to treat you. The most important thing to remember is that you’re not alone. Getting better is something that isn’t easy on its own. Don’t give up!