Forgiveness. By definition, Forgiveness is to stop feeling anger toward someone who has done something wrong; or to stop blaming someone for something. Forgiveness can be found as a fundamental belief in many religions and other belief systems. Many preach that one should “forgive those who trespass against us”. If so many people feel like forgiveness is the key to happiness, spiritual healing, and emotional stability, why is it so hard to forgive those who we feel have done wrong unto us? I personally learned my own lesson in forgiveness when I was faced with betrayal by one of my closest friends that I felt I could trust. No one out there puts their trust into anyone when they already know that they will be betrayed or hurt. At least, I did not when my I allowed myself to become friends with someone named Carlos. I met Carlos when I was in elementary school, during a game of basketball during recess. We began hanging out a lot after our initial meeting and remained friends for the remainder of our grade school years; until Senior Prom. As the end of our High School Careers began to come to an end, so did the remainder of our friendship. We would go to parties together, meet new people together, and hang out together. One could say that we were basically non-conjoined Siamese Twins. This being said, there was not anything, or anybody, that we did not discuss. We knew of each other’s girlfriends, ex-girlfriends, women on the side, and close friends. That is why it surprised me when he betrayed me on the biggest night of High School. After careful planning and preparation, the pre-Prom festivities went smoothly. Me and my prom date, who at the time was also my girlfriend, arrived at Carlos’ house, Met up with Carlos and his Date, who was just a friend to him, took pictures, and rolled out to prom in our limo. Prom was nice, but we were more focused on the after events. After a long night of partying, we finally reached our final destination, the hotel room. I suggested going to the pool for a late night swim, in which my girlfriend objected. She claimed to be feeling tired from the partying, as did Carlos. Carlos’s date and I proceeded to go swimming, leaving the two people I trusted the most in the room together. After realizing that the water was too cold and running through the hotel, we returned to the room. After walking into the room, I caught my bestfriend and girlfriend sleeping together. I could not believe that I was betrayed like that. After receiving endless texts and calls from Carlos trying to apologize, which I ignored, I changed my number. I remained distant from Carlos throughout the rest of the school year, at graduation, and into the summer. I was not upset at the action, but at the fact that I trusted someone and was betrayed. I vowed to never be friends with Carlos again. I later realized how close me and Carlos were, all that he had done for me, and how much it did not help me to hold onto anger. All of that led me to call Carlos, discuss what happened, and finally let go of the anger and hurt that I had stored in my heart. It was not easy to forgive what had happened, but I learned that carrying around anger does nothing but hinder me. I was raised to forgive people who have done wrong to me and I carry how I was raised into the rest of my life.