#482
My brother told me a joke
and I laughed to tears. He
told me the same joke again
and I laughed but not as
hard. He kept repeating the 
joke and I stopped laughing.

Then he said if you can't 
laugh at the same joke over 
and over again, why do you
keep crying over the same
people who hurt you over
and over again?

This is a very thought provoking. Isn't that the way it goes? The hurt seems to remain forever. Even when we think we are over it, we only have to have someone say or do something that reminds of that person, or we run into them on the street,  and we're off on another tangent. 

Why is this?

Laughing is a joyful experience and yet we get bored if the reason for the laughter is repetitive. But do we ever get bored going over and over what he said or what she did? 

Unresolved issues are the problem. Obviously, you have been unable to let go of the feelings associated with that person. It is never easy, but who is it hurting? Is it hurting them? This is highly unlikely, a person that hurts another, whether physically, emotionally, and/or mentally, is not the type of person that cares much about anybody's feelings. 

Is it hurting YOU? Yes, you are the one carrying the burden, you are the one that reacts to reminders of the hurt. Therefore, you are the one that needs to rid yourself of it. Forgive them, this will free you. You are not forgiving what they did, you are forgiving because you refuse to carry the burden any longer. AND forgive yourself for allowing this behaviour to affect you. This is the beginning of the healing.