Love Liberates

Hold others to the same standard that you hold yourself. Unless they're children or mentally disabled, expect other people to behave, or at least try to behave, as ethically as you do, or at least try to. If you forgive them for doing something that you would not forgive yourself for doing, you are claiming that you are their superior. If they do something to you that any reasonable person would know is wrong, but they refuse to apologize to you, they are telling you that they consider themselves your superior, and they don't respect you. If you want to keep them in your life, accept that they don't respect you. That doesn't mean you should give them the respect they refuse to give you, by forgiving them. Respect, like forgiveness, is earned.