Welcome to the Saturday edition of The Conversation U.S.’s Daily newsletter.

Forgiveness often sounds noble, as though we’d “be the bigger person” if we could just let go of ill will. But the actual act of forgiving is not so simple – and it can feel pretty unpleasant, at least in the short term. In a 2025 study, University of Mississippi professor and counselor Richard Balkin found that trying to forgive tended to make people sadder than taking revenge, or seeing someone get their comeuppance.

In part, forgiveness is tough because it means working through difficult emotions. But it’s also confusing, Balkin says, because it’s misunderstood. For example, we often assume forgiveness means reconciliation. But repairing the relationship is sometimes not a good idea, or even dangerous. Other times, it’s impossible: Perhaps the person who wronged you is a stranger, or has died.

In those cases, “intrapersonal forgiveness” is still an option, Balkin writes: when you work to reconcile your feelings and expectations within yourself, letting go of anger and resentment. He also offers a road map to help reflect on what kind of forgiveness, if any, you want to pursue.

This week we also liked stories about how Pittsburgh eased political polarization, the benefits of food flexibility over dieting, and what patients can do to stem the exodus of nurses from the profession.