Should You Give Someone a Second Chance?

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Something you should consider when you are wondering if you should give someone who has hurt you another chance is whether or not you have been given a second opportunity.

There are certain instances where second chances are not possible. There are also occasions when a second chance could and should be given.  Before you decide to completely move on, you should take a look at a few reasons to forgive.

Someone else is part of your decision

Think for a moment if you are at all being influenced by a third party who may want you to join them in their situation.  If there is someone in your life who is trying desperately to help you sever ties, they may have an ulterior motive.

You may have given up too quickly

Examine the relationship. Did things just get rough or did something major happen? Sometimes it easier to just walk away rather than iron out the rough spots.  Before you move on, take a minute to see if things can be repaired by a second chance.

Apologies were given.

You know what a sincere apology is.  If you have received one of these and it makes note of the specific offense and how it affected you, then the person involved wants to make amends. This type of sincerity deserves a second chance.

You were also in the wrong

It is entirely possible that you were not completely innocent in the events.   If you said or didn’t say something that ended the relationship, it is possible that you both need and deserve a second chance.  If both parties agree, you can apologize and move on.

There are strong feelings involved. 

Sometimes when a relationship comes to an end, the feelings just don’t disappear.  If, after a significant amount of time passes and you still have these feelings, you may want to consider giving a second chance. Just be sure that these feelings are healthy.

Is change possible or probable?

How likely is it that the person will change or want to fix things? Will they be willing or able to make the kind of improvement that will work in your relationships favor? If so, a second chance is warranted.

There were circumstances working against their favor

We all know that life can get in the way. Sometimes problems such as family and finances can wear down both parties and one decides to walk away.  If the problems involved survival and unforeseen challenges, they may need and deserve a second chance.

Children are involved

Sometimes there are some relationships that you can’t just let dissolve. This is usually because children are a factor.  As you know, every parent’s decision affects the children.  This means that the relationship between the parents should be taken into considerations. If this relationship has dwindled, an effort should be made to give a second chance or at least repair the situation.

Life is far too short to simply move away from a quality relationship because a wrong has been done. If there is any way to forgive and move on, you should consider giving it a try.  If there is truly a meeting of the minds and genuine feeling, you should give a second chance.