--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He'd wondered for so many years if he'd…" description: "\"“He'd wondered for so many years if he'd ever be able to forgive his father. Maybe he'd just used the wrong word. Surrender. Acceptance. Those seemed b..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/jeffrey-small-64090_forgive_he-d-wondered-for-so-many-years-if-he-d_736131.jpg" --- # He'd wondered for so many years if he'd ever be able to… ![“He'd wondered for so many years if he'd ever be able to forgive his father. Maybe he'd just used the wrong word. Surrender. Acceptance. Those seemed better.” quote by Jeffrey Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/jeffrey-small-64090_forgive_he-d-wondered-for-so-many-years-if-he-d_736131.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/jeffrey-small-64090_forgive_he-d-wondered-for-so-many-years-if-he-d_736131.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d76/jeffrey-small-64090_forgive_he-d-wondered-for-so-many-years-if-he-d_736131.jpg) > ““He'd wondered for so many years if he'd ever be able to forgive his father. Maybe he'd just used the wrong word. Surrender. Acceptance. Those seemed better.”” [Jeffrey Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-small/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He considered forgiveness, realizing surrender and acceptance might be more powerful than resentment. **In simple terms:** Forgiveness may need surrender and acceptance. Key Takeaway Embrace acceptance to move forward. Themes forgiveness acceptance inner peace family Mood thoughtful hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - family conflict - personal healing - self‑reflection Key Concepts psychology emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - What does surrender look like for you? - Can acceptance replace forgiveness? A Different Perspective Acceptance isn’t always easy or sufficient. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able-forgive/) [Father Maybe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father-maybe-2734153/) [Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive/) [Forgive Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive-father-1206331/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Surrender Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surrender-acceptance-5756143/) ## Related quotes > [“Forgive me, Father, but I'm still screwed up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lani-diane-rich/forgive-me-father-but-i-m-still-screwed-up/) [Lani Diane Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lani-diane-rich/) > [“Learning that I could forgive my father, while realizing I did not have to let the aspects that I found unhealthy, disrespectful, and wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-winsomer/learning-that-i-could-forgive-my-father-while-realizing-i-did-not/) [Neal Winsomer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-winsomer/) > [“The person who hurt you--who raped you or killed your family--is also here. If you are still angry at that person, if you haven't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leymah-gbowee/the-person-who-hurt-you-who-raped-you-or-killed-your-family-is-also/) [Leymah Gbowee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leymah-gbowee/) > [The best way to be able to forgive someone is to make sincere dua for them !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-best-way-to-be-able-to-forgive-someone-is-to-make-sincere-dua-for/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Forgiveness is not for the weak. Being able to forgive those who have wronged you is a mark of spiritual strength and confidence. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forgiveness-is-not-for-the-weak-being-able-to-forgive-those-who-have/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I just want to know you're okay. I want to know that you didn't suffer. I want to believe that you are in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-jenkins-reid/i-just-want-to-know-you-re-okay-i-want-to-know-that-you-didn-t-suffer/) [Taylor Jenkins Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-jenkins-reid/) > [“I doesn’t see my Father much - maybe once a week - but I done a lot of thinking about him. I feels sorrier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carson-mccullers/i-doesn-t-see-my-father-much-maybe-once-a-week-but-i-done-a-lot-of/) [Carson McCullers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carson-mccullers/) > [I think I know now that you can't do this sort of climbing and have a domestic side. You're not a practicing father if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lowe/i-think-i-know-now-that-you-can-t-do-this-sort-of-climbing-and-have-a/) [Jeff Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lowe/) > [Selfishly, I would love to get to work with my father and maybe start 'Bidens United.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-biden/selfishly-i-would-love-to-get-to-work-with-my-father-and-maybe-start/) [Ashley Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-biden/) > [I have no doubt that I'd be a marvelous father. Maybe not when they're tiny, but when they're a little bit older, I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-grant/i-have-no-doubt-that-i-d-be-a-marvelous-father-maybe-not-when-they-re/) [Hugh Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-grant/) > [“hands were shaking and braced them on the counter. “He hated his father. Maybe”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-marie-rogers/hands-were-shaking-and-braced-them-on-the-counter-he-hated-his-father/) [Donna Marie Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-marie-rogers/) > [Was I a successful father? Maybe not. Was I a successful husband? Probably not. Was I a successful actor? Probably not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sid-haig/was-i-a-successful-father-maybe-not-was-i-a-successful-husband/) [Sid Haig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sid-haig/) > [“Despereaux looked at his father, at his grey-streaked fur and trembling whiskers and his front paws clasped together in front of his heart, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/despereaux-looked-at-his-father-at-his-grey-streaked-fur-and/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [You can be Hitler and go to confession and say forgive me, Father, I killed six million Jews, and the priest would just be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-silverman/you-can-be-hitler-and-go-to-confession-and-say-forgive-me-father-i/) [Sarah Silverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-silverman/) > [“I know that in the end, God will forgive me. He will forgive your father, me, and you too. I hope you can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/i-know-that-in-the-end-god-will-forgive-me-he-will-forgive-your/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) ## More by Jeffrey Small > [“Real truths, as opposed to imagined ones, are able to stand up to rigorous debate and questioning .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-small/real-truths-as-opposed-to-imagined-ones-are-able-to-stand-up-to/) [Jeffrey Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-small/) > [“You’ll never find peace if you play the what-if game. There will always be more ifs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-small/you-ll-never-find-peace-if-you-play-the-what-if-game-there-will/) [Jeffrey Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-small/) > [“nodded. “The Prophet lived about five hundred years after Jesus. Unlike the Bible, which is the collected writings of many authors over many centuries,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-small/nodded-the-prophet-lived-about-five-hundred-years-after-jesus-unlike/) [Jeffrey Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-small/) > [“Yes, you. You do not need me, or a priest, or a rabbi to tell you what to believe. We can only provide you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-small/yes-you-you-do-not-need-me-or-a-priest-or-a-rabbi-to-tell-you-what-to/) [Jeffrey Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-small/) [Explore all 5 Jeffrey Small quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-small/) ## 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": "“He'd wondered for so many years if he'd ever be able to forgive his father. Maybe he'd just used the wrong word. Surrender. Acceptance. 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