--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: forgiveness is not a single act, but a…" description: "\"forgiveness is not a single act, but a matter of constant practice\" — Diana Gabaldon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c91/diana-gabaldon-185_constant_forgiveness-is-not-a-single-act-but-a-ma_1377622.jpg" --- # forgiveness is not a single act, but a matter of constant… ![“forgiveness is not a single act, but a matter of constant practice” quote by Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c91/diana-gabaldon-185_constant_forgiveness-is-not-a-single-act-but-a-ma_1377622.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c91/diana-gabaldon-185_constant_forgiveness-is-not-a-single-act-but-a-ma_1377622.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c91/diana-gabaldon-185_constant_forgiveness-is-not-a-single-act-but-a-ma_1377622.jpg) > “forgiveness is not a single act, but a matter of constant practice” [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Forgiveness requires ongoing effort, not a one‑time act. **In simple terms:** Forgiveness is a continuous practice. Key Takeaway Practice forgiveness daily to heal. Themes forgiveness habit personal growth Mood calm hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal relationships - conflict resolution - spiritual practice Key Concepts continuous practice emotional resilience relationship repair Questions to Reflect On - What habits sustain genuine forgiveness? - How do you differentiate forgiveness from enabling? A Different Perspective Forgiveness can be misused to avoid accountability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Constant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constant/) [Constant Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constant-practice-856650/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Forgiveness Single](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness-single-4762437/) [Matter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matter/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Single Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/single-act-1071965/) ## Related quotes > [“That only by forgiveness could she forget—and that forgiveness was not a single act, but a matter of constant practice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/that-only-by-forgiveness-could-she-forget-and-that-forgiveness-was/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [With constant practice, one can improve his physical body and mental attitude rapidly, thereby igniting the higher motives of making one’s self useful to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dharma-mittra/with-constant-practice-one-can-improve-his-physical-body-and-mental/) [Dharma Mittra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dharma-mittra/) > [Let your constant practice be to offer yourself to God, that He may do with you what He pleases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alphonsus-liguori/let-your-constant-practice-be-to-offer-yourself-to-god-that-he-may-do/) [Alphonsus Liguori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alphonsus-liguori/) > [“Once you understand the power contained in a single act of kindness you will set forth to perform as many as you can.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tonya-madia/once-you-understand-the-power-contained-in-a-single-act-of-kindness/) [Tonya Madia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tonya-madia/) > [“A single act for humanity is better that write hundred books on humanity”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farhan-muhammad-khan/a-single-act-for-humanity-is-better-that-write-hundred-books-on/) [Farhan Muhammad khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farhan-muhammad-khan/) > [Every single act of one who would lead a life of purity should be in the nature of yajna.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/every-single-act-of-one-who-would-lead-a-life-of-purity-should-be-in/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [To give pleasure to a single heart by a single act is better than a thousand heads bowing in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/to-give-pleasure-to-a-single-heart-by-a-single-act-is-better-than-a/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [There is more value in a little study of humility and in a single act of it than in all the knowledge in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/there-is-more-value-in-a-little-study-of-humility-and-in-a-single-act/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [Presidents quickly realize that while a single act might destroy the world they live in, no one single decision can make life suddenly better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/presidents-quickly-realize-that-while-a-single-act-might-destroy-the/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Excellence is not a single act. You are what you repeatedly do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letoya-luckett/excellence-is-not-a-single-act-you-are-what-you-repeatedly-do/) [LeToya Luckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/letoya-luckett/) > [“A single act is worth a thousand thoughts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-oduah/a-single-act-is-worth-a-thousand-thoughts/) [Michael Oduah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-oduah/) > [“No one is defined by a single act," Frederic said. "Whether it was years ago or weeks ago. We're all given chances to change,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-healy/no-one-is-defined-by-a-single-act-frederic-said-whether-it-was-years/) [Christopher Healy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-healy/) > [One life is but a single act. One body - a garment. One century - a day. One task - an experience. One triumph…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-luiz-moreira/one-life-is-but-a-single-act-one-body-a-garment-one-century-a-day-one/) [Andre Luiz Moreira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-luiz-moreira/) > [“A single act for humanity is better than write hundred book on humanity”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farhan-muhammad-khan/a-single-act-for-humanity-is-better-than-write-hundred-book-on/) [Farhan Muhammad khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farhan-muhammad-khan/) > [“Writing is a craft and needs constant practice.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-highsmith/writing-is-a-craft-and-needs-constant-practice/) [Patricia Highsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-highsmith/) ## More by Diana Gabaldon > [Alright, all right," I said. "What if I tell you a story, instead?" Highlanders loved stories, and Jamie was no exception. "Oh, aye, "…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/alright-all-right-i-said-what-if-i-tell-you-a-story-instead/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [There were moments, of course. Those small spaces in time, too soon gone, when everything seems to stand still, and existence is balanced on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/there-were-moments-of-course-those-small-spaces-in-time-too-soon-gone/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [If it was a sin for you to choose me . . . then I would go to the Devil himself and bless him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/if-it-was-a-sin-for-you-to-choose-me-then-i-would-go-to-the-devil/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [When I turned 35, I thought, 'Mozart was dead at 36, so I set the bar: I'm going to start writing a book on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/when-i-turned-35-i-thought-mozart-was-dead-at-36-so-i-set-the-bar-i-m/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [I stagger out of bed, take the dogs outside, and then I'll get a Diet Coke and a couple of dog biscuits and go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-stagger-out-of-bed-take-the-dogs-outside-and-then-i-ll-get-a-diet/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“It was…hard. I didna call out, or let them see I was scairt, but I couldna keep my feet. Halfway through it, I fell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/it-was-hard-i-didna-call-out-or-let-them-see-i-was-scairt-but-i/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [I have all the time and space in the world when I write a book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-have-all-the-time-and-space-in-the-world-when-i-write-a-book/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [I discovered that, given the indescribable nature of what I write, the only way to sell it is to give people free samples.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-discovered-that-given-the-indescribable-nature-of-what-i-write-the/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“We are bound,you and I, and nothing on this earth shall part me from you."One large hand rose to stroke my hair. "D'ye mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/we-are-bound-you-and-i-and-nothing-on-this-earth-shall-part-me-from/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [I think characters are going to be, if not a reflection of the author, at least some refraction of some part of their personality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-think-characters-are-going-to-be-if-not-a-reflection-of-the-author/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [My husband asked me once why I read so many mysteries, and part of it is just intellectual, part of it is the joy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/my-husband-asked-me-once-why-i-read-so-many-mysteries-and-part-of-it/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“My Da says you’re never drunk, so long as ye can hold on to the floor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/my-da-says-you-re-never-drunk-so-long-as-ye-can-hold-on-to-the-floor/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [When you're an artist, you can't write with the intent of affecting anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/when-you-re-an-artist-you-can-t-write-with-the-intent-of-affecting/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“But a man is not forgotten, as long as there are two people left under the sky. One, to tell the story; the other,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/but-a-man-is-not-forgotten-as-long-as-there-are-two-people-left-under/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“I didn’t answer, occupied in dissolving the penicillin tablets in the vial of sterile water. I selected a glass barrel, fitted a needle, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-didn-t-answer-occupied-in-dissolving-the-penicillin-tablets-in-the/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) [Explore all 952 Diana Gabaldon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) ## More Constant quotes > [Because after you've crossed some lines, you just keep crossing them. And there's no escaping from constant escape. Distracting ourselves. Avoiding confrontation. Getting past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/because-after-you-ve-crossed-some-lines-you-just-keep-crossing-them/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [This is, for an accomplished Latino, an accomplished African American, an accomplished anyone who disproves stereotypes, it's a constant battle in your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/this-is-for-an-accomplished-latino-an-accomplished-african-american/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [Me mum used to always have the radio on - even now she has it on in every room. Me girlfriend sort of blames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-pilkington/me-mum-used-to-always-have-the-radio-on-even-now-she-has-it-on-in/) [Karl Pilkington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-pilkington/) > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [The Only cure for nihilism is for liberal democratic societies - their electorates, their judiciary, and their political leadership- to insist that force is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ignatieff/the-only-cure-for-nihilism-is-for-liberal-democratic-societies-their/) [Michael Ignatieff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ignatieff/) > [The invention of gunpowder and the constant improvement of firearms are enough in themselves to show that the advance of civilization has done nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-von-clausewitz/the-invention-of-gunpowder-and-the-constant-improvement-of-firearms/) [Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-von-clausewitz/) > [As I grow through love, so grows my joy, ever more present, ever more constant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-scott-peck/as-i-grow-through-love-so-grows-my-joy-ever-more-present-ever-more/) [M. Scott Peck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-scott-peck/) > [Life and death are illusions. We are in a constant state of transformation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/life-and-death-are-illusions-we-are-in-a-constant-state-of/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [People don't need sudden revelations. They get what they need when they need it, thought by thought by thought. It's a constant thing when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/byron-katie/people-don-t-need-sudden-revelations-they-get-what-they-need-when/) [Byron Katie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/byron-katie/) > [Fishing is a constant reminder of the democracy of life, of humility, and of human frailty. The forces of nature discriminate for no man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-hoover/fishing-is-a-constant-reminder-of-the-democracy-of-life-of-humility/) [Herbert Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-hoover/) > [It's a constant man-ego-check going on in the streets, in this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/it-s-a-constant-man-ego-check-going-on-in-the-streets-in-this-world/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [Research is an organized method of trying to find out what you are going to do after you cannot do what you are doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kettering/research-is-an-organized-method-of-trying-to-find-out-what-you-are/) [Charles Kettering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kettering/) > [I believe it's true that there's good and evil in everyone and it's a constant struggle to have your better angels prevail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-friedkin/i-believe-it-s-true-that-there-s-good-and-evil-in-everyone-and-it-s-a/) [William Friedkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-friedkin/) > [You're a constant student, as a musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-bell/you-re-a-constant-student-as-a-musician/) [Joshua Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-bell/) > [Intimacy requires an ability to both merge and be separate, to come together and be apart, like oscillating on a giant swing from oneness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-sophia-kasl/intimacy-requires-an-ability-to-both-merge-and-be-separate-to-come/) [Charlotte Sophia Kasl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-sophia-kasl/) [Browse all 3,025 Constant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constant/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "forgiveness is not a single act, but a matter of constant practice", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Diana Gabaldon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/forgiveness-is-not-a-single-act-but-a-matter-of-constant-practice/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Constant" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/forgiveness-is-not-a-single-act-but-a-matter-of-constant-practice/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c91/diana-gabaldon-185_constant_forgiveness-is-not-a-single-act-but-a-ma_1377622.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c91/diana-gabaldon-185_constant_forgiveness-is-not-a-single-act-but-a-ma_1377622.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c91/diana-gabaldon-185_constant_forgiveness-is-not-a-single-act-but-a-ma_1377622.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“forgiveness is not a single act, but a matter of constant practice” — Diana Gabaldon", "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": "Diana Gabaldon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "forgiveness is not a single act,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/forgiveness-is-not-a-single-act-but-a-matter-of-constant-practice/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/forgiveness-is-not-a-single-act-but-a-matter-of-constant-practice/#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 } } ] } ```