---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Forgiving someone does not mean you have…"
description: "\"“Forgiving someone does not mean you have to keep company with them.”\" — E.N. Joy"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/640/e-n-joy-7908_business_forgiving-someone-does-not-mean-you-have_1596988.jpg"
---

#  Forgiving someone does not mean you have to keep company…

![“Forgiving someone does not mean you have to keep company with them.” quote by E.N. Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/640/e-n-joy-7908_business_forgiving-someone-does-not-mean-you-have_1596988.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/640/e-n-joy-7908_business_forgiving-someone-does-not-mean-you-have_1596988.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/640/e-n-joy-7908_business_forgiving-someone-does-not-mean-you-have_1596988.jpg)

> ““Forgiving someone does not mean you have to keep company with them.””

[E.N. Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-n-joy/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Forgiving is separate from maintaining a relationship; you can release resentment without staying close.

**In simple terms:** You can forgive without staying friends.

Key Takeaway

Practice forgiveness, set healthy boundaries.

Themes

forgiveness relationships boundaries emotional health

Mood

empathetic practical

Type

self‑help advice

When to use this quote

- personal relationships
- family disputes
- workplace conflicts
- therapy sessions

Key Concepts

psychology self‑care conflict resolution

Questions to Reflect On

- When is it appropriate to keep distance after forgiveness?
- How do you maintain peace while protecting yourself?

A Different Perspective

Forgiveness may be difficult if the other person continues harmful behavior.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Forgiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiving/)

## Related quotes

> [Forgiving does not erase the bitter past. A healed memory is not a deleted memory. Instead, forgiving what we cannot forget creates a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-b-smedes/forgiving-does-not-erase-the-bitter-past-a-healed-memory-is-not-a/)

[Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/)

> [“People attempt to create association b/n you and your values. Oh, Mary- the girl who is caring; you mean the company with quality products?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assegid-habtewold/people-attempt-to-create-association-b-n-you-and-your-values-oh-mary/)

[Assegid Habtewold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assegid-habtewold/)

> [Forgiving does not erase the bitter past. A healed memory is not a deleted memory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-b-smedes/forgiving-does-not-erase-the-bitter-past-a-healed-memory-is-not-a-2/)

[Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/)

> [But really, the term “forgive and forget” doesn’t make sense to me. Forgiving does allow us to stop dwelling on an issue, which isn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/but-really-the-term-forgive-and-forget-doesn-t-make-sense-to-me/)

[Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/)

> [Forgiving Does Not Mean Giving People The License To Do The Same Mistakes And Hurt You Over And Over Again. It Is An Act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/forgiving-does-not-mean-giving-people-the-license-to-do-the-same/)

Pacifiersucker

> [Forgiving someone does not mean you have to accept them back in your life, and it doesn't mean you necessarily accept their apology. Forgivenss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/forgiving-someone-does-not-mean-you-have-to-accept-them-back-in-your/)

[Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/)

> [Forgiving someone does not mean denying a person's responsibility for hurting you, nor does it mean minimizing, or justifying the act. It does mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forgiving-someone-does-not-mean-denying-a-person-s-responsibility-for/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Forgiving does not usually happen at once. It is a process, sometimes a long one, especially when it comes to wounds gouged deep. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-b-smedes/forgiving-does-not-usually-happen-at-once-it-is-a-process-sometimes-a/)

[Lewis B. Smedes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-b-smedes/)

> [“The term “forgive and forget” doesn’t make sense to me. Forgiving does allow us to stop dwelling on an issue, which isn’t always healthy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/the-term-forgive-and-forget-doesn-t-make-sense-to-me-forgiving-does/)

[Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/)

> [The term forgive and forget doesnt make sense to me. Forgiving does allow us to stop dwelling on an issue, which isnt always healthy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/the-term-forgive-and-forget-doesnt-make-sense-to-me-forgiving-does/)

[Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/)

> [Forgiving someone does not mean you condone their behavior. The act of forgiveness takes place in your own mind. It really has nothing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-hay/forgiving-someone-does-not-mean-you-condone-their-behavior-the-act-of/)

[Louise Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-hay/)

> [Freedom does not mean license.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/freedom-does-not-mean-license/)

[Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/)

> [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/)

> [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/)

> [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/)

## More by E.N. Joy

> [“God was the same yesterday, today, and would be tomorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-n-joy/god-was-the-same-yesterday-today-and-would-be-tomorrow/)

[E.N. Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-n-joy/)

> [“God is real,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-n-joy/god-is-real/)

[E.N. Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-n-joy/)

> [“if you can’t trust God, then you can’t trust anybody, especially yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-n-joy/if-you-can-t-trust-god-then-you-can-t-trust-anybody-especially/)

[E.N. Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-n-joy/)

> [“living proof that a male and female could be friends and comingle without hooking up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-n-joy/living-proof-that-a-male-and-female-could-be-friends-and-comingle/)

[E.N. Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-n-joy/)

> [“that’s what I don’t get about some Christian folk. You pray to God and ask Him to do something for you, then when He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-n-joy/that-s-what-i-don-t-get-about-some-christian-folk-you-pray-to-god-and/)

[E.N. Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-n-joy/)

> [To God, be the Glory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-n-joy/to-god-be-the-glory/)

[E.N. Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-n-joy/)

> [“God does not fail at what He does.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-n-joy/god-does-not-fail-at-what-he-does/)

[E.N. Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-n-joy/)

> [“we concern ourselves with what others think we will look like. The things we do, the things we say, even the decisions we make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-n-joy/we-concern-ourselves-with-what-others-think-we-will-look-like-the/)

[E.N. Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-n-joy/)

> [“the devil knows he has no power over your future so he has to keep a tight grip on your past, of who you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-n-joy/the-devil-knows-he-has-no-power-over-your-future-so-he-has-to-keep-a/)

[E.N. Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-n-joy/)

> [“don’t you question the power of God!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-n-joy/don-t-you-question-the-power-of-god/)

[E.N. Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-n-joy/)

> [“Impressions are reminders of a thing even though it’s long gone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-n-joy/impressions-are-reminders-of-a-thing-even-though-it-s-long-gone/)

[E.N. Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-n-joy/)

> [“spend some time with yourself. Date yourself. Court yourself. Get to know yourself. Who you are. Who you are not. What you like about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-n-joy/spend-some-time-with-yourself-date-yourself-court-yourself-get-to/)

[E.N. Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-n-joy/)

> [“I believe that it’s okay to make a costly mistake in life as long as you learned a priceless lesson.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-n-joy/i-believe-that-it-s-okay-to-make-a-costly-mistake-in-life-as-long-as/)

[E.N. Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-n-joy/)

> [“the devil can work on someone’s mind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-n-joy/the-devil-can-work-on-someone-s-mind/)

[E.N. Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-n-joy/)

> [“scared as you may be of the consequences of the truth, it don’t hold a candle to the consequences of a lie. Because guess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-n-joy/scared-as-you-may-be-of-the-consequences-of-the-truth-it-don-t-hold-a/)

[E.N. Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-n-joy/)

[Explore all 85 E.N. Joy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-n-joy/)

## More Business quotes

> [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/)

[Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/)

> [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/)

[Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/)

> [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/)

[Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/)

> [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/)

[Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/)

> [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/)

[Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/)

> [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/)

[Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/)

[Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/)

> [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/)

[N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/)

> [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/)

[Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/)

> [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/)

[Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/)

> [I'm not into business at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-m-not-into-business-at-all/)

[Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/)

> [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

[Browse all 39,016 Business quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Forgiving someone does not mean you have to keep company with them.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "E.N. Joy"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-n-joy/forgiving-someone-does-not-mean-you-have-to-keep-company-with-them/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Business"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-n-joy/forgiving-someone-does-not-mean-you-have-to-keep-company-with-them/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/640/e-n-joy-7908_business_forgiving-someone-does-not-mean-you-have_1596988.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/640/e-n-joy-7908_business_forgiving-someone-does-not-mean-you-have_1596988.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/640/e-n-joy-7908_business_forgiving-someone-does-not-mean-you-have_1596988.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Forgiving someone does not mean you have to keep company with them.” — E.N. Joy",
                "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": "E.N. Joy",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-n-joy/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Forgiving someone does not mean you...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-n-joy/forgiving-someone-does-not-mean-you-have-to-keep-company-with-them/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-n-joy/forgiving-someone-does-not-mean-you-have-to-keep-company-with-them/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
