The Weighing, by Jane Hirshfield

The heart's reasons
seen clearly,
even the hardest
will carry
its whip-marks and sadness
and must be forgiven.

As the drought-starved
eland forgives
the drought-starved lion
who finally takes her,
enters willingly then
the life she cannot refuse,
and is lion, is fed,
and does not remember the other.

So few grains of happiness
measured against all the dark
and still the scales balance.

The world asks of us
only the strength we have and we give it.
Then it asks more, and we give it.

Jane Hirshfield is an American poet, essayist, and translator, and a 2019 elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Seed Questions for Reflection

What do you make of the notion that even the hardest hearts carry whip-marks and sadness that when seen, give us the power to forgive? Can you share a personal story where you found yourself able to forgive, even when the situation seemed unforgiving and harsh? What helps you find those few grains of happiness that balances all the dark you perceive?

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Add Your Reflection

10 Past Reflections

Usha

Nov 26, 2025

For me, forgiving is not something am doing good for others but to myself. Hatred should not be homed in our lives for our own good. It is stressful, time consuming and exhausting. Most of us normally do not come across things we cannot forgive. However, they may be certain incidents, which might have turned their life into trauma and brought to dead end. I understand it would be painful and not easy to just forgive when a victim suffers and assailant living a care free life. I pray, every one gets strength to handle those misfortunes and start over again. Paramatma bless!

Catherine Todd

Jun 12, 2025

I understand NONE of this. The eland forgives the lion? If that is so, then why does it run? Why not just lay down and die?

David Doane Jun 13, 2025

I think the eland is too drought-starved and weak to run, surrenders to the drought-starved lion, becomes the lion and lives in and through the lion's living, and forgives the lion as being part of a process they are both part of.

Kendra

Jun 12, 2025

I am grateful for the grace of the universe/God/the All-That-Is for helping me to completely forgive my sister after she betrayed me (lied to her adult kids about me & they & she stopped talking with me) after our mother died 2 years ago. I was never given an explanation why. To this day I have no understanding. After significant pain, grieving, and a lot of anger, I finally let it all go with the grace of the All-That-Is. I did a lot of work within myself on compassion and forgiveness; however, when the time came I feel it was the grace of God that helped me. While talking with my spouse, I felt a wave of forgiveness pass thru me and my heart forgave all. I believe that was help from the universe and all the beings of light! I honestly feel I needed spiritual aid and grace to get through this, and to forgive. I'm so grateful. Although sister, niece, and nephew are all still estranged to me, I still send love and wish them all the best, whether they're in my life or not. And, I now fee... View full comment

Anthony

Jun 11, 2025

The hardest act of forgiveness for me was to myself. I was once filled with a deep self hatred for what my life had become and the resulting damage done to the people I loved.

By an act of Grace I was drawn to the Path. After years of meditation and introspection I was able to penetrate to the depths of my scarred heart and discover my true nature which is innocent and pure.

As a result of my own discovery I was also able to forgive the people that I once held responsible for what my life had became. I understood that everyone's nature was pure but the scar tissue accumulated through life's hardships often masks that purity.

I dwell amongst a throng of hardened hearts. People who are often not easy to have compassion for. But, in remembering how my own scars were formed I can empathize with the suffering they endured to become so hardened and forgive.
Anthony (currently in prison and appreciates Awakin reflections)

David Doane Jun 12, 2025

Anthony, thanks for sharing.

Tulip Chowdhury

Jun 10, 2025

My mother, resting on the other side, had me when she was fourteen and a half. When I was five months old, she became pregnant with my brother and was bedridden with health complications. My parents decided to put me in my paternal grandparents' care. I grew up with my grandparents till I was eleven. While my grandparents loved me endlessly, I held on to a grudge towards my parents for leaving me.
However, after more than fifty decades, I rethink my old grudge as I watch family structures change in the modern world and families broken. I am thankful that my parents did not split up when in trouble, but held the family bond, one that I could join when it was the right time.
My parents and grandparents have passed, and I pray for their souls to rest in peace.

Thank you for the space to share my story.

christine

Jun 10, 2025

yep. only always in all ways. i have ever so many examples of what others have shared with me over my 63 years, that would be impossible to forgive, including people who say that they are Christians or some other religiosity. kidnapped and raped. 3 near death experiences. childhood abuse, including mental emotional spiritual and physical beatings. bullied. tortured. manipulated. deceived. ridiculed. beaten by cops. beaten by family members. etc. and, all is dissolved the ever-love-in-pre-sent-grace. yep. gone. all up in smoke .... ashes .... dust .... starlight. onelove iamyouare weareone wonnow nooneandall. everything 'n' no thing. pure spirit.

Jagdish P Dave

Jun 5, 2025

Life is like a river and it has two banks: joys and sorrows, tears and laughter, ups and downs, light and darkness. I have gone through many ups and downs in my life. When I was going down I tried to resist the flow of pain and suffering. It did not work. In fact, denial of the darkness that I was going through made the darkness thicker and heavier. As I accepted the truth of the reality my heart became lighter and softer. I started seeing the rays of joy and delight in my life. A new day dawned in my life and I welcomed it joyfully and gratefully.
Namaste!
Jagdish P Dave

David Doane

Jun 5, 2025

If whip-marks and sadness are present or not, are seen or not, we have the power to forgive. The challenge is to engage that power to forgive. Hurt can be very difficult to let go of and forgiving can be very difficult to do, but it can be done, even for a slow learner like me. The owner of a business in which I worked many years ago cheated me out of a large amount of money. I held onto the hurt and anger regarding that for a long time. I can still stir up ill feelings about what he did but I have forgiven him. What helps me forgive is taking responsibility for my cooperation in letting it happen, and my carelessness in not taking care of my self. Taking responsibility for my part in my being hurt and letting go of unfair or inappropriate blaming and feelings of victimization result in more than a few grains of happiness for me, help balance at least some of the dark I perceive, and help me grow a little wiser.