| To forgive or to punish? | | | | that you would be forgiving for a second time |
| Infidelity and Forgiving appear to be two concepts | | | | too! |
| from two opposite poles. One is deception, | | | | So, back to the Shakespearean Dilemma - to |
| betrayal and an assault on the other partner's | | | | forgive or not to forgive. In my opinion, forgiving |
| faith. The other is a show of love, a symbol of | | | | can be justified in the following situations: |
| magnanimity and an act rooted in nobility. Yet | | | | 1) You love your spouse so much that his/her |
| both are to be studied together because one is a | | | | infidelity won't affect your love. So, you have to |
| response to the other. | | | | forgive him/her because you need him/her. |
| So, your spouse has been infidel! He/she has | | | | 2) Your spouse admits to the infidelity and seeks |
| sought something outside you though you had | | | | your forgiveness. If you think it is genuine |
| everything to offer him/her. And you have | | | | repentance (a spouse can always find out if it is |
| children too! What can you do about someone | | | | not!) |
| who has put his/her amorous pleasures above | | | | 3) You despise your spouse for what he/she has |
| you and the children? Oh, loving woman, do you | | | | done but you cannot afford a separation due to |
| have to put up with this? Oh, devoted husband, | | | | economic/social/family reasons. Your children are |
| do you have to forgive this "peccadillo!" | | | | so important to you that you could never think of |
| Well, the answer is simple. Only you can decide | | | | a divorce or even a confrontation, till the children |
| whether to punish or forgive. In either case, there | | | | grow up to be independent. So, you reconcile to |
| will be consequences. If you choose to punish, | | | | the realities and forgive your spouse whether he |
| that could be the end of the marriage and you | | | | she will stop being infidel or not. |
| may have to share your children with the one | | | | So forgiving is possible either due to conviction or |
| who had betrayed you! If you forgive, your life | | | | convenience! But whatever you decide, think of all |
| may turn out to be an ever happy experience or | | | | the possible consequences, weigh them and |
| your spouse may go for another round, confident | | | | decide. |