Choosing Love Over Pride
Forgiveness is one of those truths that’s easy to say but hard to live. It asks us to lay down our pride, release our grip on old hurts, and open our hearts again—sometimes to the very people who wounded us. In My Dad (Mr. P): The Poet and He Didn’t Know It, Steve Piranio explores forgiveness not through grand gestures, but through quiet, lived examples. His father’s life showed that true forgiveness isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s one of the greatest acts of strength and love.
What makes forgiveness so powerful is its gentleness. It doesn’t come with a thunderclap or a spotlight. Instead, it moves softly—healing what’s broken, easing the tension in a room, and restoring peace where resentment once lingered. Steve’s father never preached forgiveness; he practiced it. Through small acts of grace, patient understanding, and a steady heart, he modeled what it means to let go and move forward without bitterness.
Forgiveness also transforms how we see others. In reflecting on his father’s life, Steve came to understand that love has the power to cover imperfections. His father saw people for who they were—not just for what they did wrong. That perspective shaped Steve’s own relationships—with his siblings, with his children, and with the people who made mistakes along the way. Forgiveness widened his lens, allowing him to view others through the eyes of grace.
But sometimes the hardest person to forgive is ourselves. We hold on to guilt, replay old words, and wish we could rewrite certain moments. In Steve’s reflections, there’s an awareness of this struggle—a quiet wrestling with regrets that time can’t undo. Yet through his father’s example, he found a way forward: forgiving himself as completely as his father once forgave others. In doing so, he discovered that forgiveness frees not just the one who is forgiven, but the one who forgives.
Within families, forgiveness is the thread that keeps the fabric from tearing. Without it, small misunderstandings can grow into lasting wounds. With it, healing can begin, and bonds can deepen. Steve’s memories show that his family’s strength didn’t come from perfection, but from their willingness to say, I’m sorry and I forgive you. That humility became part of their legacy—a pattern of grace passed down through generations.
The gentle power of forgiveness doesn’t erase the past, but it transforms it. It softens harsh memories, turning them into lessons of compassion. It allows us to rebuild where once we had broken walls. And it gives us the courage to love again, even after disappointment.
Because forgiveness heals in ways nothing else can—it’s the quiet miracle that keeps love alive.
Purchase the book using these links:
- ARPRESS: https://authorreputationpress.com/bookstore/my-dad-mr-p-the-poet-and-he-didnt-know-it/
- Amazon: https://a.co/d/5mQMLsm
- AbeBooks: https://www.abebooks.com/Dad-Mr-P-Poet-Know-Piranio/32045965484/bd
- Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/My-Dad-Mr-P-The-Poet-and-He-Didn-t-Know-It-Paperback-9781640969728/340075261