--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Forgiveness is what makes adults…" description: "\"“Forgiveness is what makes adults different to children: children just forget, adults forgive.”\" — Tim Relf" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b6/tim-relf-37139_adulthood_forgiveness-is-what-makes-adults-differe_1681713.jpg" --- # Forgiveness is what makes adults different to children… ![“Forgiveness is what makes adults different to children: children just forget, adults forgive.” quote by Tim Relf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b6/tim-relf-37139_adulthood_forgiveness-is-what-makes-adults-differe_1681713.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b6/tim-relf-37139_adulthood_forgiveness-is-what-makes-adults-differe_1681713.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2b6/tim-relf-37139_adulthood_forgiveness-is-what-makes-adults-differe_1681713.jpg) > ““Forgiveness is what makes adults different to children: children just forget, adults forgive.”” [Tim Relf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-relf/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts children’s natural ability to forget with adults’ capacity to forgive, suggesting forgiveness is a mature, deliberate choice beyond simple forgetting. **In simple terms:** Adults choose forgiveness, not just forgetting. Key Takeaway Practice forgiveness as a conscious decision. Themes maturity forgiveness growth psychology Mood reflective empathetic Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - conflict resolution - personal development - family dynamics - therapy sessions Key Concepts Emotional intelligence cognitive development relational healing Questions to Reflect On - What does forgiveness mean to you? - When is forgetting insufficient for healing? A Different Perspective Forgiveness can be difficult without genuine remorse. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adulthood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adulthood/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) ## Related quotes > [Teens have a sensational narcissism and genuinely believe that their experiences are unique and can't be explained to adults. But we forgive them for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-savage/teens-have-a-sensational-narcissism-and-genuinely-believe-that-their/) [Stephanie Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-savage/) > [“In every way, un-forgiveness makes us the victim—”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-karon/in-every-way-un-forgiveness-makes-us-the-victim/) [Jan Karon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-karon/) > [Just because you forgive someone doesn't always mean you're inviting them back into your life. Forgiveness makes letting go easier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinku-razoria/just-because-you-forgive-someone-doesn-t-always-mean-you-re-inviting/) [Tinku Razoria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinku-razoria/) > [We often tell ourselves that were better off without some people in our lives, and while this can be true, you should also build…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/we-often-tell-ourselves-that-were-better-off-without-some-people-in/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [It's forgiveness that makes us what we are. Without forgiveness, our species would've annihilated itself in endless retributions. Without forgiveness, there would be no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/it-s-forgiveness-that-makes-us-what-we-are-without-forgiveness-our/) [Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/) > [Once she has committed sin, there is nothing left for the Protestant woman, whereas the Catholic Church, hope of forgiveness makes a woman sublime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/once-she-has-committed-sin-there-is-nothing-left-for-the-protestant/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Forgiveness makes you feel better. As soon as you forgive, you're free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-kingsbury/forgiveness-makes-you-feel-better-as-soon-as-you-forgive-you-re-free/) [Karen Kingsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-kingsbury/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“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 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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [“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 ## More by Tim Relf > [“It was as if I was in a picture, a flat canvas, and everything around me was flat, me painted on like everything else:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-relf/it-was-as-if-i-was-in-a-picture-a-flat-canvas-and-everything-around/) [Tim Relf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-relf/) > [“A marriage is hard work. Worth every bit of it though.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-relf/a-marriage-is-hard-work-worth-every-bit-of-it-though/) [Tim Relf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-relf/) > [“You're after perfection,'Matt said. 'Is that so awful?' 'No, it's not, but if you aim for perfection, you've got to be ready to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-relf/you-re-after-perfection-matt-said-is-that-so-awful-no-it-s-not-but-if/) [Tim Relf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-relf/) > [“You don't ever know what anyone's really like,' I said 'Cause you do.' 'How?' 'They tell you; you tell them.' 'That's assuming you're honest.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-relf/you-don-t-ever-know-what-anyone-s-really-like-i-said-cause-you-do-how/) [Tim Relf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-relf/) > [“It would be awful. 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You could prop up the bar and watch the world go by; no one made you talk or expected anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-relf/i-loved-this-place-you-could-prop-up-the-bar-and-watch-the-world-go/) [Tim Relf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-relf/) > [“He liked what he had too much.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-relf/he-liked-what-he-had-too-much/) [Tim Relf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-relf/) > [“I had nothing to contribute. I played no part. I was on the edge. Different. Alone. Everything around me, grey. It was the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-relf/i-had-nothing-to-contribute-i-played-no-part-i-was-on-the-edge/) [Tim Relf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-relf/) > [“That intimacy is nice, too - knowing that you know so much about someone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-relf/that-intimacy-is-nice-too-knowing-that-you-know-so-much-about-someone/) [Tim Relf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-relf/) [Explore all 12 Tim Relf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-relf/) ## More Adulthood quotes > [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/) [Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/) > [People often say that you should never work with child actors. I think that's all wrong. 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