Secondly, the world’s problems starting with our neighbourhood which we have perceived through our senses, let the people who are to take care of them ( unless we also have to pitch in those ). Majority of the times, the stress is caused because of our not being able to solve the problems around us. Are we responsible for all bad things aroind us in the world that we want to take care of them all . If you want to solve the problems at home, to neighbourhood to , county to the country and world beyond, let us start from home and then become a member of the local community. The interaction with other members and the team work, gives a feeling of accomplishment and minimises our stres, when any of the situations problems has been attended and solved.
But remember to take one task at a time.

To Nani, Anne and Char , I would like to add that forgiving and forgetting can be assisted by another person – your parents , your mentor ( or Guru) and God in that order( if you are spiritually inclined).

They ( parents and guru or mentor) can for instance ‘touch one’s forehead or temples with both hands and utter ‘ whatever or whoever has been the cause of pain has gone away). This symbolism , like Nani’s suggestion , helps in mitigating the pain.
The Guru or mentor may also take a symbolic object like a ‘ small piece of stone or wood’ and utter that your pain has transmigrated or initiated into it , utter ‘it has gone away’ (several times) and then they wrap it in a piece of cloth or paper and throw it away. This symbolism too might help.No..no , this no voodoo stuff , but does help , as it is done only symbolically.

Teh fact that someone touches your forehead or temples , and even as they keep saying ‘it has gone away’ helps one lessens the pain. Not to mention the healing effect of ;touch’, when someone we trust does that . Hope this is useful.

Leo has done an excellnt job of intiating a dialogue starting witha n intersting and relevant topic. Let us learn to appreciate others too apar from us. Let us give ourselves too rewards whee we have done a good job and reward others too who are less fortunate than us.(this also means sharing )

Why do we get upset, with others or ourselves? Because we have expectations, and when people don’t fill those expectations, we are upset. When WE don’t behave the way we feel we should have behaved, we are also upset with ourselves.

So we must learn to forgive others, and ourselves, for not being “just as we would like them or ourselves to be, or to behave or to talk”.

I found this little exercise to be very helpful (I think in the book Love is Letting Go of Fear, by Gerald Jampolsky, a great little book that I highly recommend). First you pinpoint who exactly are you upset with. Then you say:

” X (whoever the person is), I FORGIVE YOU FOR NOT BEING EXACTLY THE WAY I WOULD LIKE YOU TO BE. I FORGIVE YOU, I RELEASE YOU, I SET YOU FREE.” The first time that you do this, repeat it as many times as necessary, saying the words with all your heart. You may doubt it, but repeating it with all your heart, and aloud, will work like soap and water to remove the hurt.

The next time the memory and pain comes up, repeat this exercise. If you are in public, do the repetitions silently, in your mind, BUT WITH THE SAME INTENSITY OF YOUR HEART, with a true and sincere wish to forgive.

One day, you will notice that each time you need to repeat the exercise less times, and that the memory returns less frequently. As I said, it may not ever go completely away, but the important thing is that eventually it doesn’t hurt any more. Someday you may even be able to smile at that same memory that today causes you so much unease.

This exercise is great to learn to accept people as they are, instead of always wishing they were different. I don’t wait until something big happens. I use it every time anyone annoys me in any way. Immediately I repeat this prayer with all my heart, as many times as necessary. Usually two or three times eases the sting in my heart and I don’t have to return to it. But if later I notice a little shadow of resentment remains, as soon as I discover it, I go at it again. Harboring any resentment towards anyone is harmful – we must strive to harm no one, including ourselves.

The more we forgive, the deeper is our ability to love, and to accept people as they are. The more we are able to love, the happier we are, because Love is God, and we are made by God, by pure LOVE. Our natural state is one of pure love.