Why you really should forgive

Forgiveness is not about the wrongdoer, it's about you! Forgiveness lightens your heart and soul in ways that revenge never can.
This has to be one of life's hardest lessons. First let's discuss what forgiveness is not? It has nothing to do with condoning the act that created the hurt. Wrong doers should face the consequences of their actions. Your anger might well be justified, but the negative energy created by thoughts of revenge, anger, hatred, animosity will eat your body alive.
So forgiveness is really about healing you. Allowing you to be free to heal. Once you forgive you don't have to be a victim of those past experiences. Forgiveness let's us get on with enjoying our lives instead of being preoccupied with someone else's.
Health and happiness are the natural state for human beings. However the stress caused by carrying around the negative energy of hurt prevents us from reaching this natural state.
It is nobodys birthright to expect forgiveness for a transgression. It's up to you to decide when you are ready. But when you are ready you can remove what blocks your energy and happiness.
The next question is how to forgive? It is not necessary in my opinion to get face to face with perpetrator and in some situations definately not advisable. To start just say to yourself something like this....I forgive you, I now understand that you are a victim as well. You have attracted a pile of negativity to yourself perhaps without knowing it. I forgive you. The next stage would be to say, I forgive you, I don't condone your actions but I love you. This may take a long time but when you do get to the point where you can say it and mean it, you will be healed! You will have earned the right to call yourself an enlightened human being.

"The weak can never forgive.
Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong"
Ghandi

Or how about this from the Lord's Prayer..

"Forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those that trespass against us"

I'm not sure but it sounds to me that you don't get forgiven until you forgive those that wronged you. I wonder how many Christians dutifuly say the Lord's Prayer while glossing over that part of it?