--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To forgive but not forget is like not…" description: "\"To forgive but not forget is like not forgiving at all.\" — Anonymous" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/anonymous-1_forgive_to-forgive-but-not-forget-is-like-not-fo_2766962.jpg" --- # To forgive but not forget is like not forgiving at all. ![“To forgive but not forget is like not forgiving at all.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/anonymous-1_forgive_to-forgive-but-not-forget-is-like-not-fo_2766962.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/anonymous-1_forgive_to-forgive-but-not-forget-is-like-not-fo_2766962.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/anonymous-1_forgive_to-forgive-but-not-forget-is-like-not-fo_2766962.jpg) > “To forgive but not forget is like not forgiving at all.” [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. Forgiving without forgetting undermines true forgiveness. **In simple terms:** Forgiving but not forgetting isn’t real forgiveness. Key Takeaway True forgiveness requires letting go of the memory. Themes forgiveness memory healing Mood thoughtful somber Type emotional psychological When to use this quote - personal conflicts - family disputes - legal settlements Key Concepts psychology emotional health relationships Questions to Reflect On - Can you forgive while retaining lessons? - What helps release painful memories? A Different Perspective Holding onto memory can perpetuate resentment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forget Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget-like-266180/) [Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive/) [Forgive forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive-forget/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Forgiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiving/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Like Forgiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-forgiving-1634700/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) ## 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/) > [Somedays I feel like forgiving you, and then theres just those days that you go, fuck you bitch, your face is now my punching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/somedays-i-feel-like-forgiving-you-and-then-theres-just-those-days/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [Good luck trying to find someone who cares like I did, who understands you like I do and who is forgiving like I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/good-luck-trying-to-find-someone-who-cares-like-i-did-who-understands/) [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/) > [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 all is as inhuman as to forgive none](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-forgive-all-is-as-inhuman-as-to-forgive-none/) [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/) > [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'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/) > [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/) > [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/) ## 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 Forgive quotes > [“So in practicing blanket forgiveness you first assume that in any current condition of pain or discomfort there is some anger involved, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-kahili-king/so-in-practicing-blanket-forgiveness-you-first-assume-that-in-any/) [Serge Kahili King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serge-kahili-king/) > [Do what is given to you, and do it well, and you will have done enough...live together in the forgiveness of your sins. Forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-what-is-given-to-you-and-do-it-well-and-you-will-have-done-enough/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The public, more often than not, will forgive mistakes, but it will not forgive trying to wiggle out of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-grizzard/the-public-more-often-than-not-will-forgive-mistakes-but-it-will-not/) [Lewis Grizzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-grizzard/) > [Im so sorry,i screwed up again.i didnt meant hurting you.please,forgive me,again?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/redeyeen/im-so-sorry-i-screwed-up-again-i-didnt-meant-hurting-you-please/) [Redeyeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/redeyeen/) > [“He fell back. He had cried out so loud that even if there had been no breach in the wall, I should have heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-barbusse/he-fell-back-he-had-cried-out-so-loud-that-even-if-there-had-been-no/) [Henri Barbusse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-barbusse/) > [Forgive us our trespasses," says Margarethe, "and get out of our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/forgive-us-our-trespasses-says-margarethe-and-get-out-of-our-way/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Ive learned¦ that no matter how good a friend is, theyre going to hurt you every once in a while, and you must forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ive-learned-that-no-matter-how-good-a-friend-is-theyre-going-to-hurt/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forgive yourself for not being the richest, the thinnest, the tallest, the one with the best hair. Forgive yourself for not being the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/forgive-yourself-for-not-being-the-richest-the-thinnest-the-tallest/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [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/) > [I feel people relate with your entire journey and forgive your mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-vaidya/i-feel-people-relate-with-your-entire-journey-and-forgive-your/) [Rahul Vaidya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-vaidya/) > [More courage is required to forgive than is required to take up arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ramos-horta/more-courage-is-required-to-forgive-than-is-required-to-take-up-arms/) [Jose Ramos-Horta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ramos-horta/) > [“The Bible says, “You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-bible-says-you-must-make-allowance-for-each-other-s-faults-and/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“By choosing to forgive, you are choosing to love. By choosing to operate in love, you are choosing to operate in an unconditional state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-watterson/by-choosing-to-forgive-you-are-choosing-to-love-by-choosing-to/) [Eric Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-watterson/) > [The most important thing about being a father is being able to forgive yourself. If you don't forgive yourself, you're not going to forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evander-holyfield/the-most-important-thing-about-being-a-father-is-being-able-to/) [Evander Holyfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evander-holyfield/) [Browse all 3,381 Forgive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To forgive but not forget is like not forgiving at all.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-forgive-but-not-forget-is-like-not-forgiving-at-all/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Forgive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-forgive-but-not-forget-is-like-not-forgiving-at-all/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/anonymous-1_forgive_to-forgive-but-not-forget-is-like-not-fo_2766962.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/anonymous-1_forgive_to-forgive-but-not-forget-is-like-not-fo_2766962.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0c/anonymous-1_forgive_to-forgive-but-not-forget-is-like-not-fo_2766962.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To forgive but not forget is like not forgiving at all.” — 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": "To forgive but not forget is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-forgive-but-not-forget-is-like-not-forgiving-at-all/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-forgive-but-not-forget-is-like-not-forgiving-at-all/#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 } } ] } ```