Mere Christianity – C. S. Lewis (1952)
I know that here Lewis is talking about the forgiveness on a higher level, spiritually in the sight of God but this led me to thinking about forgiveness within a relationship.
There are always the little things that are done, mostly I think because the other person did not appreciate how much their action would impact on their partner, also because we are all individuals there will be times when a couple do not think on the same wavelength. These things, although they may cause disagreements are things that can automatically be put to one side once all feelings on the subject have been aired. So, I think this is a case of not sweating the small stuff. These things are inevitable and life becomes a mini series of give and take.
It is when the give and take are all flowing in the same direction that would be a major problem. If one person was always causing the other to have to forgive them and just takes it for granted that they will. This is often compounded by the boot not being on the other foot, so to speak. That there is never any forgiveness for mistakes made by the other person.
Forgiveness has to be reciprocal for it to work effectively and if this is the basis for two people being together then, as far as I am concerned they will stand a much better chance of weathering bigger issues.