--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But I was learning forgiveness didn’t…" description: "\"“But I was learning forgiveness didn’t have to be about granting absolution for sins but being able to find freedom from pain.”\" — Heather Topham Wood" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2c/heather-topham-wood-80287_forgiveness_but-i-was-learning-forgiveness-didn-t-ha_124486.jpg" --- # But I was learning forgiveness didn’t have to be about… ![“But I was learning forgiveness didn’t have to be about granting absolution for sins but being able to find freedom from pain.” quote by Heather Topham Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2c/heather-topham-wood-80287_forgiveness_but-i-was-learning-forgiveness-didn-t-ha_124486.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2c/heather-topham-wood-80287_forgiveness_but-i-was-learning-forgiveness-didn-t-ha_124486.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2c/heather-topham-wood-80287_forgiveness_but-i-was-learning-forgiveness-didn-t-ha_124486.jpg) > ““But I was learning forgiveness didn’t have to be about granting absolution for sins but being able to find freedom from pain.”” Heather Topham Wood ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Forgiveness is less about excusing wrongdoing and more about releasing oneself from lingering hurt. **In simple terms:** Let go of pain, not just excuse the act. Key Takeaway Freedom from pain through forgiveness. Themes self‑growth emotional health compassion Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - recovering from a breakup - healing after a betrayal - overcoming childhood trauma Key Concepts psychological resilience Practical Applications - journaling about feelings - practice mindfulness to notice resentment Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to forgive without absolution? - How can you tell if you’re still holding pain? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom from pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-from-pain/) ## Related quotes > [“Mistakes are your school of learning therefore forgiveness is your greatest teacher in this school of learning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/mistakes-are-your-school-of-learning-therefore-forgiveness-is-your/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [“Love is joy and happiness. Love is purity in it's true form. Love covers multiple of sins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/love-is-joy-and-happiness-love-is-purity-in-it-s-true-form-love/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [(on forgiveness) Didn't he and I stand together before an all seeing God convicted of the same murder? For I had murdered him with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corrie-ten-boom/on-forgiveness-didn-t-he-and-i-stand-together-before-an-all-seeing/) [Corrie Ten Boom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corrie-ten-boom/) > [“It is gracious to overlook and offence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/it-is-gracious-to-overlook-and-offence/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“And so Shin’s misery never skidded into complete hopelessness. He had no hope to lose, no past to mourn, no pride to defend. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaine-harden/and-so-shin-s-misery-never-skidded-into-complete-hopelessness-he-had/) [Blaine Harden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaine-harden/) > [“Forgiveness is the only lethal weapon which can destroy all evil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-varghese/forgiveness-is-the-only-lethal-weapon-which-can-destroy-all-evil/) Abraham Varghese > [“Keep dreaming, Keep hoping, Keep loving Keep giving, keep motivating, Keep forgiving, Keep praying, Keep tithing, Keep sharing your testimony.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/keep-dreaming-keep-hoping-keep-loving-keep-giving-keep-motivating/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Peace within us starts when we learn to forgive and let go”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mimi-novic/peace-within-us-starts-when-we-learn-to-forgive-and-let-go/) [Mimi Novic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mimi-novic/) > [“God made us to contaminate his creation with a Love Epidemic. Whom have you contaminated today?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-figueroa-otero/god-made-us-to-contaminate-his-creation-with-a-love-epidemic-whom/) [Ivan Figueroa-Otero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-figueroa-otero/) > [“Unforgiveness is so much stress, I tell you. You just keep going round in circles instead of taking a straight path which forgiveness offers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omoakhuana-anthonia/unforgiveness-is-so-much-stress-i-tell-you-you-just-keep-going-round/) [Omoakhuana Anthonia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omoakhuana-anthonia/) > [Some call it crazy Some say its sick But I think its freedom The pain is fierce but quick Some say that its a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-call-it-crazy-some-say-its-sick-but-i-think-its-freedom-the-pain/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Lord has given me peace and freedom from the pain that haunted me in my heart from my younger years. I would only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-macdonald/the-lord-has-given-me-peace-and-freedom-from-the-pain-that-haunted-me/) [Rory MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-macdonald/) > [We're constantly waking up to what we're about, what we're really doing in our lives. And the fact is, that's painful. But there's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-re-constantly-waking-up-to-what-we-re-about-what-we-re-really/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Adventures are all very well in their place, but there's a lot to be said for regular meals and freedom from pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/adventures-are-all-very-well-in-their-place-but-there-s-a-lot-to-be/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [“Freedom for me is a pain in the Buridan's ass.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-goldstein/freedom-for-me-is-a-pain-in-the-buridan-s-ass/) [Rebecca Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-goldstein/) ## More by Heather Topham Wood > [“Maybe I was a fool to turn my back on him after his warnings, but the bad guys didn't warn you first. No, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-topham-wood/maybe-i-was-a-fool-to-turn-my-back-on-him-after-his-warnings-but-the/) Heather Topham Wood > [“Well, since you probably missed the coach’s pep talk, I’ll improvise. Go out there, get your head out of your ass, and score our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-topham-wood/well-since-you-probably-missed-the-coach-s-pep-talk-i-ll-improvise-go/) Heather Topham Wood Explore all 3 Heather Topham Wood quotes ## More Forgiveness quotes > [“Lord I come before you, I repent all my sins; forgive me. I repent on behalf of my children forgive them Lord. Help them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euginia-herlihy/lord-i-come-before-you-i-repent-all-my-sins-forgive-me-i-repent-on/) [Euginia Herlihy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euginia-herlihy/) > [Forgiveness is not saying, What you did to me is okay. It is saying, Im not going to let what you did to me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate/forgiveness-is-not-saying-what-you-did-to-me-is-okay-it-is-saying-im/) [Nate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate/) > [“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 > [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/) > [A Real Boyfriend does the sweetest things randomly because he never wants her to feel unappreciated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enhance-dreams/a-real-boyfriend-does-the-sweetest-things-randomly-because-he-never/) Enhance Dreams > [“(Evil people) do not believe in forgiveness. Their transgressions are either punished or not punished. That is the only result that matters.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mchugh/evil-people-do-not-believe-in-forgiveness-their-transgressions-are/) [Daniel McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mchugh/) > [Friendship means understanding, not argument. it means forgiveness, not forgetting. it means the memories last, even if contact is lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sokhom/friendship-means-understanding-not-argument-it-means-forgiveness-not/) [Sokhom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sokhom/) > [Grace is the wonderful spirit that imbues every fiber of our being when we practice the fruits of the spirit: kindness, patience, understanding, forgiveness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-cayce/grace-is-the-wonderful-spirit-that-imbues-every-fiber-of-our-being/) [Edgar Cayce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-cayce/) > [One of the most basic principles for making and keeping peace within and between nations. . . is that in political, military, moral, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/one-of-the-most-basic-principles-for-making-and-keeping-peace-within/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [“Have an open mind and heart. Learn to journey in understanding and forgiveness. It's not always going to be easy but it will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-elle/have-an-open-mind-and-heart-learn-to-journey-in-understanding-and/) [Alexandra Elle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-elle/) > [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/) > [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/) [Browse all 8,311 Forgiveness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But I was learning forgiveness didn’t have to be about granting absolution for sins but being able to find freedom from pain.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Heather Topham Wood" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-topham-wood/but-i-was-learning-forgiveness-didn-t-have-to-be-about-granting/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Forgiveness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-topham-wood/but-i-was-learning-forgiveness-didn-t-have-to-be-about-granting/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2c/heather-topham-wood-80287_forgiveness_but-i-was-learning-forgiveness-didn-t-ha_124486.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2c/heather-topham-wood-80287_forgiveness_but-i-was-learning-forgiveness-didn-t-ha_124486.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2c/heather-topham-wood-80287_forgiveness_but-i-was-learning-forgiveness-didn-t-ha_124486.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But I was learning forgiveness didn’t have to be about granting absolution for sins but being able to find…” — Heather Topham Wood", "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": "Heather Topham Wood", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-topham-wood/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“But I was learning forgiveness didn’t...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-topham-wood/but-i-was-learning-forgiveness-didn-t-have-to-be-about-granting/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-topham-wood/but-i-was-learning-forgiveness-didn-t-have-to-be-about-granting/#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 } } ] } ```