Generational Trauma and Forgiving the Unforgivable

Their limitations. Our pain.

I come from a lineage of folks extraordinarily limited in their capacity for understanding themselves, other people in general, and me, in particular.

Tied up in their own struggles, I’ve observed that older generations in my family are limited in their ability to supply unconditional love, as well.

In fact, the love I experienced growing up was quite conditional.

I assume it’s thanks to the proliferation of cognitive behavioral therapy, that my generation, on the other hand, was blessed with a higher capacity for empathy and curiosity about emotions within and the emotional realities of others without.

I feel like I was given a choice as to how I should deal with my own limitations, hereditary or otherwise—and my parents were not.

I wonder if this dynamic exists between every generation and their successors.

I wonder what limitations I will have, because of the things my generation has been through, so far: 9/11, the 2008 financial collapse, Trump, Covid, etc.

Everyone is free to choose.

It’s true, everyone is given a choice.