Someone asked, “How can I release the guilt of having a killed a kitten when I was 7? I was on my bike and chasing the kittens. One of them got stuck under some scrap piece, and I hit the piece with my bike and it fell on the kitten and killed it… I am 39 noow. Is there a way I can release the guilt?”
My suggestions
Practice gratitude. Thank the kitten for teaching your young self the preciousness of life. Thank it for having motivated you to be kind and caring throughout your life.
Through gratitude you can reframe and understand. You thought your guilt needed to be released but it’s actually the role of the kitten in your life that needs to be released. When you thank the kitty, you no longer have to treat it as a source of guilt and shame.
Thank it sincerely and let it know that you’ll always appreciate what you’ve learned and the person that you became. Thank it knowing that the kitten does not want you to suffer. Thank it so it doesn’t have to be guilty for causing you suffering. Thank it so both of you can be free.
It doesn’t have to be a tragedy
The root of this suffering is perceiving the kitten to be a victim, to be little more than a tragedy in your life. But we can start by giving the kitten the dignity of being more than that. It had its life and it has taught us something precious, and has produced positive growth for us. Once we recognize this dignity, we can feel and express the gratitude for what it has offered us.
Gratitude is life’s guiding star
Gratitude brings an awareness of and orients us to the positive and life affirming aspects of existence. In practicing gratitude, a person’s life will instinctively ground itself in that which is life affirming while growing towards that which is positive and joyous.
Do you have something that you’ve viewed negatively, that perhaps you can free with gratitude? You’re welcome to share in the comments below.
Learn to live a positive, genuine, and meaningful life. Learn how to practice the guiding principles of the One Sun Way: gratitude, honesty, and charity.