Let us ponder that for a brief moment.
Mercy is when forgiveness is given to someone/something that does not deserve it. We could treat them harshly, but because of the mercy we hold in our hearts, we choose not to. We choose to let them off of the hook. We choose to not punish our trespassers.
Forgiveness and mercy are two very hard and complicated concepts. From small children, aging seniors and everything in between, we have all held a grudge now and then. In some cases, holding a grudge can be healthy. If someone in your life is causing you constant worry and headache, it would seem rational to keep your distance and acknowledge the conflict that said person is causing in your life. I am not against holding grudges as long as there can be a time of admitting personal failures and, yes, forgiveness. If a grudge prolongs enough that it interferes with your mental, social and psychological health, that is when you may need to do some self-analyzing.
In general, showing someone mercy after they have done you wrong is hard. We all have to learn the skill, myself included. We should look to the fisherman in "The Fisherman and the Jinnee" for inspiration and guidance if we have trouble doing so. It is not easy, but I think it makes us stronger people - accepting those who wrong us.
