Forgiveness

I know I need to forgive. I need to battle bitterness. I've seen first hand how bitterness manifests itself and takes hold of a person's life. After getting to know these people, I always told myself that I don't want "end up" like that. Bitterness has made them angry, almost cronically angry. It seems there is always a problem with everything and everyone and that they can never be satisified or happy with anything. I thought I had forgiven the people who have hurt me. Sometimes I find myself needing to continue to forgive on a regular basis though. That makes me think, have I truly forgiven them then? I guess time will tell. It seems there is some truth to the saying "time heals all wounds". I find time is definitely helping, however, it just that, a helper. Time is not the ultimate healer, God is.