--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I can forgive, but not FORGET." description: "\"I can forgive, but not FORGET.\" — Anonymous" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/966/anonymous-1_forget_i-can-forgive-but-not-forget-410487_410487.jpg" --- # I can forgive, but not FORGET. ![“I can forgive, but not FORGET.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/966/anonymous-1_forget_i-can-forgive-but-not-forget-410487_410487.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/966/anonymous-1_forget_i-can-forgive-but-not-forget-410487_410487.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/966/anonymous-1_forget_i-can-forgive-but-not-forget-410487_410487.jpg) > “I can forgive, but not FORGET.” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Forgiveness does not erase memory; the past remains known **In simple terms:** Forgiving doesn't mean forgetting Key Takeaway Acknowledge past hurts while forgiving Themes healing memory forgiveness Mood reflective empathetic Type therapeutic philosophical When to use this quote - personal conflicts - family disputes - therapeutic settings Key Concepts psychology emotional intelligence relationships Questions to Reflect On - How can you forgive while processing memory? - What practices help separate forgiveness from forgetting? A Different Perspective Forgiveness may be hindered by unresolved trauma ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive/) [Forgive forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive-forget/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [True](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true/) ## Related quotes > [Forgive and forget, but never forget to forgive. You may find a happier heart is the key to a happier life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forgive-and-forget-but-never-forget-to-forgive-you-may-find-a-happier/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I forgive, but never forget because I never want to be hurt the same way twice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-forgive-but-never-forget-because-i-never-want-to-be-hurt-the-same/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forgive But NEVER Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forgive-but-never-forget/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you can't forgive and forget, pick only one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-brault/if-you-can-t-forgive-and-forget-pick-only-one/) [Robert Brault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-brault/) > [Everything is ended if you forgive and forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/everything-is-ended-if-you-forgive-and-forget/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“If you can't forgive and forget, then pick one and do it ...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-brault/if-you-can-t-forgive-and-forget-then-pick-one-and-do-it/) [James Brault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-brault/) > [Life is too short to waste time harboring bad feelings about anyone. Forgive, forget, then move on!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-austin/life-is-too-short-to-waste-time-harboring-bad-feelings-about-anyone/) [Denise Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-austin/) > [To forgive and forget means to throw away dearly bought experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-forgive-and-forget-means-to-throw-away-dearly-bought-experience/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Trust can only be mended, it can never be fixed. Because people forgive, but they can never forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/trust-can-only-be-mended-it-can-never-be-fixed-because-people-forgive/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've decided to forgive and forget. Forgive myself for being awfully stupid and forget that you ever existed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-decided-to-forgive-and-forget-forgive-myself-for-being-awfully/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easier to forgive and forget, than to remember and regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-easier-to-forgive-and-forget-than-to-remember-and-regret/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [How do you forgive some one, when you can't forget all the pain they caused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-do-you-forgive-some-one-when-you-can-t-forget-all-the-pain-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is unfortunate that in most cases when the sins of the father fall on the son it is because unlike God, people refuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-unfortunate-that-in-most-cases-when-the-sins-of-the-father-fall/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Every time we get hurt we forgive, forget and move on. But, we must keep this in mind. Never forget 3 types of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-time-we-get-hurt-we-forgive-forget-and-move-on-but-we-must-keep/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The best way to get even, is to forgive and forget.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-way-to-get-even-is-to-forgive-and-forget/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Forget quotes > [I Never met her,i never talked to her,but in my whole day I am either thinking about her or trying to forget her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subhananda/i-never-met-her-i-never-talked-to-her-but-in-my-whole-day-i-am-either/) [Subhananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subhananda/) > [What people tend to forget is the journey that I had getting to Formula One. There were plenty of years where I had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-hamilton/what-people-tend-to-forget-is-the-journey-that-i-had-getting-to/) [Lewis Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-hamilton/) > [Once upon a time. Ah forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/once-upon-a-time-ah-forget-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Your memory is a monster; you forget - it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/your-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-doesn-t-it-simply-files-things/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [“Which people take the time to care for their souls, these days? I reckon not many. But...hear this: I think that maybe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fletcher/which-people-take-the-time-to-care-for-their-souls-these-days-i/) [Susan Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fletcher/) > [The problem with people is they forget that most of the time it's the small things that count.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/the-problem-with-people-is-they-forget-that-most-of-the-time-it-s-the/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [Remind a man of what he remembers, and you will make him forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/remind-a-man-of-what-he-remembers-and-you-will-make-him-forget-it/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) > [“So you try, and try, to move past it and forget about them, but it's like they're stuck in your head -- you can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-mcdonald/so-you-try-and-try-to-move-past-it-and-forget-about-them-but-it-s/) [Abby McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-mcdonald/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [People are disturbed not by things but by the view they take of them. They may forget what you said, but they will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [I don't think people will ever forget I was an 'Angel,' anymore than they'll forget Sally Field was 'The Flying Nun.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-ladd/i-don-t-think-people-will-ever-forget-i-was-an-angel-anymore-than/) [Cheryl Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-ladd/) > [If God knows me I will never forget him](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trunxbeats/if-god-knows-me-i-will-never-forget-him/) [Trunxbeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trunxbeats/) > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) [Browse all 11,315 Forget quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I can forgive, but not FORGET.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-can-forgive-but-not-forget/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Forget" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-can-forgive-but-not-forget/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/966/anonymous-1_forget_i-can-forgive-but-not-forget-410487_410487.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/966/anonymous-1_forget_i-can-forgive-but-not-forget-410487_410487.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/966/anonymous-1_forget_i-can-forgive-but-not-forget-410487_410487.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I can forgive, but not FORGET.” — Anonymous", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anonymous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I can forgive, but not FORGET.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-can-forgive-but-not-forget/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-can-forgive-but-not-forget/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```