It’s March, and the celebrity baby announcements are already pouring in. Whether they’re in music or sports, some of our faves have shared their exciting news in beautiful ways that are touching and full of love. Some are simply adding a new baby to their already big family while others are having their first child, with one celeb having twins.
Celeb Pregnancy Announcements of 2024
Below is a list of celebrity pregnancy announcements in 2024, so read on and join us as we anticipate the arrival of the little ones. This list will be updated as new pregnancy announcements drop throughout the year.
Celebrities Who Announced Their Pregnancies in 2024 So Far
Ayesha Curry and Steph Curry
Congrats are in order for Ayesha Curry and Steph Curry who have another addition joining their family. The restauranteur and cookbook author showcased her baby bump on the cover of her magazine, Sweet July, for The Village Issue. This will be the Curry’s 4th child.
Gabourey Sidibe and Brandon Frankel
Gabourey Sidibe is having twins! The Empire actress revealed the surprising news on Instagram with a photo of her alongside her husband, Brandon Frankel. “I’m pregnant! We thought it was time to give our cats some responsibility so we’re giving them each a baby to take care of! Double the babies,double the cats, double the fun!! Twin Delivery coming soon! Twinty Twinty Four!!,” she wrote.
Bria Anderson and Tim Anderson
Wife of MLB free agent Tim Anderson and founder of Millennial Mom, Bria Anderson, is now pregnant with her third child. While she hasn’t made an official announcement, she posted a compilation video on her Instagram, which showed her and friends cradling her baby bump.
Martica "Fat" Nwigwe and Tobe Nwigwe
Married singing collaborators Martica aka "Fat " and Tobe Nwigwe are expanding their family once again. Tobe shared a photo on his Instagram revealing that his wife was pregnant with their fifth child. "happy pregnantines day. round 5. #thefinale," he wrote.
Kali Uchis and Don Toliver
Musical couple Kali Uchis and Don Toliver revealed in January that they were welcoming their first child together. The R&B singers made the shared announcement on their perspective Instagram pages with a heartwarming video showing Kali's baby bump, their pregnancy journey as well as clips of them when they were both kids. The caption read, “Starting our family❤️🩹 don’t take too long to get here little pooks, mom & dad can’t wait to share our life with you.”
Deiondra Sanders and Jacquees
Deiondra Sanders took to Instagram in early March to announce her pregnancy with a transparent caption around some controversy surrounding her relationship with R&B crooner Jacquees. In her caption, she assured spectators that her pregnancy wasn't planned but it is a "divine blessing." "I’m not having my baby to keep a man. I am having my baby for all the times I was told I wouldn’t be able to," she wrote.
"I’m having my baby for the 4 myomectomy surgeries I have had. I am having my baby for all the years I stayed on birth control even though it gave me breast tumors. I’m having my baby for all the Doctors that told me I wouldn’t make it out the first trimester. I’m having a baby for the 7 current fibroids that surrounds my uterus to this day."
Deiondra is the daughter of retired NFL player turned football coach Deion Sanders who publicly showed his support for her and her decision.
Draya Michele and Jalen Green
Draya Michele announced her pregnancy on International Women's Day accompanied by a series of maternity photos on Instagram. She has been romantically linked to NBA star Jalen Green, who at 22, is nearly two decades her junior, a fact that sparked some backlash shortly after her announcement. The couple are expecting a girl. "We are overjoyed to share our love for you, little girl. I’m am excited to speak words to the daughter I never thought I’d have," her caption read.
"We are anxious about your arrival, but take your time — this world can be tough. But know you are being brought into a space of love, security, and adornment."
Vanessa Hudgens and Cole Tucker
@therealmarcmalkin Mama-to-be @Vanessa Hudgens and @JulesHough at the #Oscars #redcarpet #justforvariety
Newly married Vanessa Hudgens and Cole Tucker have a lot to celebrate, including expanding their family in 2024. Vanessa announced her first pregnancy at the 96th Academy Awards. The High School Musical alum revealed the sweet news while donning a form-fitting black long-sleeved gown as she walked the red carpet and later rocked a more revealing look in a sheer black number that showcased her very prominent baby bump. This will be the couple's first child together.
Kash Doll and Tracy T
Rapper Kash Doll announced that she is expecting baby number two with her boyfriend Tracy T. The BMF actress shared the news on Instagram on her birthday. "It’s my birthday and God bless me with another one!!! This birthday is special bc I’m sharing it with my last child 🥹so no drinks, no snatch waist, no outside but listen y’all I’m so grateful and blessed to b in the position I’m in i wouldn’t trade my hand with no oneee!! ❤️🤰🏾," she wrote.
Joie Chavis and Trevon Diggs
Joie Chavis is having a baby with Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs. The choreographer made the surprising reveal on Instagram in a video showcasing her baby bump. She and the NFL star reportedly have been dating since 2022, and this will be his fourth child and Joie's third. Joie shares 12-year-old daughter Shai with Bow Wow and 5-year-old son Hendrix with Future.
Brittney Griner and Cherelle T. Griner
Phoenix Mercury player Brittney Griner and her wife attorney Cherelle T. Griner are expanding their family. The proud parents-to-be announced their pregnancy news on Instagram with an ultrasound of their bundle of joy who will be arriving earth side this July. "Can't believe we're less than three months away from meeting our favorite human being," their caption read.
Candiace Dillard Bassett and Chris Bassett
Following her decision to "take a break" from The Real Housewives of Potomac, 37-year-old Candiace Dillard Bassett has some exciting baby news! The singer announced she is pregnant with her first child with Chris Bassett, 46. Candiace and Chris' journey to conceive was explored in some of her later seasons of the Bravo franchise with the couple ultimately deciding to do IVF. "It's been weird, but also really wonderful, I think, to keep it kind of to ourselves to this point. ... It's just been, like, kind of quietly just growing a bun," Candiace shared with Entertainment Tonight of her pregnancy.
Ashanti and Nelly
After months of pregnancy rumors, Ashanti finally confirmed that she is having her first child with Nelly and not only that, they are engaged. The "Baby" singer made the cute reveal in an Instagram video that also featured her mom and manager, Tina Douglas. In the video, Ashanti is seen getting ready backstage for a concert. Her mom asks the Grammy artist, "How much time you need?" To which Ashanti responded, "Imma need about nine months."
Ashanti talked about this new chapter in her life to ESSENCE. “This new year of my life is such a blessing full of love, hope, and anticipation,” she said. “Motherhood is something that I have looked forward to, and sharing this with my family, fiancé, and loyal fans, who have been so supportive of my career, is an amazing experience.”
Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins and Darroll Jenkins
Actress Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins announced her pregnancy in April. The Dear White People alum took to Instagram to share the exciting news that she and her husband Darroll Jenkins had achieved IVF success and are welcoming their bundle of joy soon. In an exclusive with ESSENCE, the podcast host detailed her 'daunting' IVF journey that followed a diagnosis of unexplained infertility. "I had to go through so many things that felt unnatural, whether it was medications, brain scans, a myomectomy, or countless doctor's appointments," she recounted to the publication.
She continued, "I've been through so much it pertains to my reproductive system. I'm incredibly grateful. I feel proud of my body."
Eboni K. Williams
Eboni K. Williams is pregnant with her first child. The lawyer and TV personality shared the news on Instagram writing. "Thank you God…Abundantly blessed and so excited to welcome my daughter to this world 🙏🏾💕 HE will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4."
She also gave a statement to PEOPLE detailing her journey with IVF. "Anybody who's gone through IVF or attempted IVF will tell you so many things have to go right for the final result of this journey to be a baby," she said. "That's why I've called this 'my remarkable miracle,' because it really does feel like I've been the recipient of some very enormous favor from God above."
Trina McGee
Trina McGee made the surprising announcement that she is pregnant at 54 years old. The Boy Meets World actress wrote in an Instagram post, "At the tender age of 54 I have found myself pregnant. Please bless us with your prayers for a safe delivery. Thank you." This will be Trina's fourth child.
Shaniece Hairston
Shaniece Hairston may be known as reality TV star Evelyn Lozada's daughter, but now she will be known as mom to her unborn child. The yoga instructor made the announcement on Father's Day with a photo of herself cradling her baby bump. "Another trip around the sun and in my purest birthday suit yet 🥹🤍 Oh and Happy Fathers Day baby daddy 😜," she wrote. She hasn't revealed who the father is.
Wiz Khalifa and Aimee Aguilar
Wiz Khalifa revealed that he and his partner Aimee Aguilar are expecting a baby girl. The rapper shared a post of the couple on Instagram and captioned it "Baby Girl On The Way." Wiz already shares on child with ex-wife Amber Rose.
Ella Mai and Jayson Tatum
While they haven't made an official announcement, it looks like "Boo'd Up" singer Ella Mai and Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum are expecting. Ella was spotted celebrating her man's win last night, rocking a Celtics jersey that seemingly accentuated her baby bump.
Raven Goodwin
Raven Goodwin recently announced that she is expecting her second child with her husband, Wiley Battle. The Being Mary Jane actress shared the news on her birthday. "32! Thank you God! Waiting for my gift to arrive! Baby #2 Happy Birthday to me!!!!!! Any day now. ♋️♋️," she wrote.
Nikki Mudarris
Nikki Mudarris, aka Miss Nikki Baby, is expecting her second child with professional basketball player LiAngelo Ball. She also made the announcement on her birthday and shared that she previously had a miscarriage. "One of the best birthday gifts I could have received 🤍🤰 Thank you God! I’m feeling overly blessed & grateful. After suffering a miscarriage to then later waking up to a positive pregnancy test. Here we are now… about to be a family of 4. Never lose faith because God always has the final say and bigger plans 🙏🏼🥹❤️
To my Baby: You are beyond loved and we cannot wait to meet you. Thank you for being my rainbow 🌈 after the storm ☔️ God knows we truly needed you.
P.S. You have the best Big Brother 🩵"
Kaliii
Kaliii is pregnant with her first child. The "Area Codes" rapper shared a video of herself dancing, and when she turned around, her baby bump was on full display. She captioned her video, "ouu he did his BIG ONE wit this one right here 🤰🏾💐 #BIGONEOTW #RICHMUTHA."
Lashana Lynch
Photo by Ernesto Ruscio/Getty Images
Lashana Lynch is expecting her first child with her husband, Zackary Momoh. The Matilda actress showcased her bump at the New York premiere of her television series The Day of the Jackal.
Skai Jackson
After much speculation, Skai Jackson confirmed that she is expecting. The former Disney actress debuted her bump to the world while walking around LA. The 22-year-old told PEOPLE, “I’m thrilled to begin this new chapter in my life — embracing motherhood and diving into new acting projects. My heart is so full!”
Flo Milli
Surprise! Flo Milli is pregnant. The rapper posted photos of herself posing in a white crop top with her baby bump on display. She also shared a video on Instagram dancing seductively with a man, who is presumed to be her child's father.
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This article will be updated.
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Anyway, I personally think that the less shallow folks out here may contemplate calling things “quits” or they at least distance themselves a bit from their partner (and what I’m referring to is serious relationships) due to all of the stress and strain that oftentimes comes with the holidays whether it be financial, familial, due to their tight schedules or something else.
Listen, I would hate for you and your man to miss the fun and happiness of experiencing this time of year, all because you are so overwhelmed or irritated that you can’t really enjoy it. That’s why I have a few practical tips for how to avoid allowing the typical holiday season stress from INFECTING your relationship.
Manage Your Expectations
GiphyUnmanaged expectations. If there is a main reason why the holiday season tends to be so stress-filled for so many people, I’d bet good money that this is the cause. And when you’re in a long-term relationship, expectations can manifest themselves in all sorts of cryptic and/or unexpected ways. You might have relatives who assume that you are going to be with them for Thanksgiving or Christmas when you have other plans in mind. You might be thinking that you are going to spend one amount for presents while your man is thinking something totally different. When it comes to scheduling, your signals may be crossed.
And you know what? To all of these scenarios, this is where clear and consistent communication come in. Don’t assume anything. Don’t dictate anything either. From now until New Year’s, mutually decide to check in once a week, just to make sure that you are both on the same page as it relates to the holidays and what you both are thinking will come along with it. The less blindsided you both feel, the less stressed out you will be. Trust me on this.
Set (and Keep) a Budget
GiphyOkay, so I read that last year, 36 percent of Americans incurred some type of holiday-related debt. Hmph. Last year, there was still some sense of normalcy in this country, chile, so I can only imagine what finances are gonna look like over the next several weeks. That said, since I don’t know a lot of people who don’t find being broke stressful, make sure that you and your bae set a budget and then stick to it this year — no ifs, ands or buts.
Because really, y’all — it doesn’t make sense to deplete savings and/or max out credit cards for a few days of giggles only to be damn near losing your mind because you don’t know how to make ends meet come Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
And by the way, this tip doesn’t just speak to things like food and gifts; I also mean travel. If it doesn’t make a ton of sense (or cents) to be all over the place this year — DON’T BE.
Keep Matthew 5:37 at the Forefront
GiphyIf off the top of your head, you don’t know what Matthew 5:37 says, no worries, here ya go: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” That verse right there? Oh, it’s a boundaries lifesaver! I say that because do you see “maybe” or “I’ll think about it” in there? Nope. LOL. It says that you should tell people “yes” or “no” and leave it at that — and that complements Anne Lamott’s quote, “’No’ is a complete sentence” impeccably well. Yeah, you’ve got to remember that anything beyond a yes or no to a request is privileged information; you don’t owe anyone details or an explanation.
Besides, if you are really honest with yourself, when someone asks you something and you give a “Umm, let me think about it” kind of reply, more times than not, you already know what your answer is going to be — so why not let you both off of the hook? Give your response. Commit to that. And let everyone (including yourself) get on with their lives and schedules.
I promise you that when it comes to those holiday parties, you are pissing more folks off by not RSVP’ing or doing so and not showing up than just saying, “Thank you but not this year” off the rip.
Remember That Your Personal Space Is Privilege Not a Right
GiphyA friend of mine recently bought a new house and invited me over to come see it. He’s a single man with no children, so as I was taking in all of the space that he had, especially as I walked through his finished basement, I joked about relatives coming to live with him. “Hell no” and “absolutely not” were pretty much his immediate responses as he went on to say that some folks even had the nerve to be offended when he told them that he had no intentions on taking DNA in.
Ain’t it wild how people think that your stuff is their right? And yes, that brings me to my next point. Your home is your sanctuary space. If you want to host folks this year — cool. If not, ALSO COOL. Please don’t let folks (family included) guilt you into how they want you to act or even into what they would do if the shoe was on the other foot. You are not them — and as one of my favorite quotes states, “If two people were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary.” (A man by the name Larry Dixon said that.)
Hell, my friends? They know that I am good for sending them random things that they need or even want all throughout the year. Coming over to hang out at my pace, though. Uh-uh. Chalk it up to being a card-carrying member of the ambivert club yet I like keeping my living space personal — and I sleep like a baby, each and every night, for feeling that way.
Always remember that your space, your time, your resources, your energy and shoot, yourself period (including your relationship), are all things that are your own. You get to choose how, when and why you want to share them. The holiday season is certainly no exception.
Cultivate Some “You Two Only” Traditions
GiphyIt’s not uncommon for some couples to hit me up after the holiday season to “detox.” Sometimes it’s due to the financial drama (and sometimes trauma) that they experienced. Sometimes it’s because they allowed their relatives (especially in-laws) to get more into their personal business than they should’ve. More than anything, though, it tends to be because they didn’t get enough quality time together and so ended up feeling “disconnected.”
Please don’t let that happen. Listen, I’m not even a holidays kind of woman and yet, I will absolutely sit myself down with some hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies to enjoy a Hallmark holiday film or two. Aside from the fact that most of them are lighthearted and sweet, I also like that they usually focus on couples loving on each other amidst all of the holiday beauty and ambiance — which is something that all couples should set aside some time to do.
Maybe it’s a vacation. Maybe it’s a staycation. Or maybe it’s my personal favorite, A SEXCATION. Whether it’s for a few days, the weekend or even overnight — don’t you let the holidays go by without setting aside time for you and your man to celebrate one another. Don’t you dare (check out “Are You Ready To Have Some Very Merry 'Christmas Sex'?”).
GET. SOME. REST.
GiphyI once read that 8 out of 10 people get stressed out over the holidays and 3 out of 10 lose sleep during to it — and when you’re stress-filled and sleep-deprived, that can absolutely lead to hypersensitivity, making mountains out of molehills and even not being in the mood for sex.
Your relationship can’t afford to go through any of this, so definitely make sure to prioritize rest. I don’t care how unrealistic it might seem during this time, sleep should never be seen as a luxury; it will always and forever be a great necessity.
That said, try to get no less than six hours of shut-eye in (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”) and even ask your bae to take a nap with you sometimes (check out “Wanna Have Some Next-Level Sex? Take A Nap, Sis.”). Not only will sleep help to restore your mind, body and spirit but, when it’s with your partner, it’s an act of intimacy that can make you both feel super connected, even in the midst of what might feel like chaos.
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Holiday season stress is real. Still, never give it the permission or power to throw your relationship off. Put you and your man first and let the holidays be what they are gonna be, chile.
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And that is why I decided to put emphasis on the word “late” for today’s topic. Because if you and someone break up and they approach you, well after the fact, with an “I’m sorry,” if you struggle with whether or not to accept it due to the timing of it all, you should definitely ponder that a bit.
And as you’re doing so, it might help to read a bit deeper into what an apology should look and live like, even from an ex, regardless of when it shows up.
Your “late.” Or his right on time.
Three Things That a True Apology Consists Of
GiphyIt’s kind of wild that when you work as a therapist/counselor/coach, a lot of people never really see you as human — and this can include your close relationships. What I mean by that is, it’s almost like they expect you to be free on-call therapy to the point where they “forget” to actually check on you sometimes.
Such is the case with one of my longest-running friendships. Even during the weeks between losing my mother and losing $4K (SMDH), she would just keep calling me to vent about her marriage. I finally got so fed up that I brought it to her attention that for the past couple of years, that is exactly what our friendship has been like: her venting, me listening without her being very invested in my life at all. In response, she texted me an apology — and boy, was it beautiful.
I’m not going to share the details of what she said; however, I am going to tell you three things that it consisted of because it’s what I believe ALL APOLOGIES should entail.
1. She took full ownership for what she believed that she did. I framed this point in this way because, something that everyone needs to forever keep in mind is the fact that two people start and, to a large extent, end relationships — and what I mean by that is, it’s never like one person was perfect and the other was the villain. That said, though, when someone is making an apology to another individual, they are going to own their part and articulate what that part is. It’s not gonna be a simple “My bad.”
It’s going to be “I am really sorry that I wasn’t there for you when you needed me” or “I apologize for taking you for granted” — something that sounds like they get the “offense” that transpired. By doing this, they recognize their missteps — and that is what puts people on the road to not repeating them.
2. She did not deflect or gaslight me. You know what one of the worst apologies are: It’s when someone says they are sorry and then follows it up with, “But you do it too” or “If you hadn’t done ‘A’, I wouldn’t have done ‘B.'” Justifying your actions is a surefire way to make someone believe that you don’t really think that you did something wrong (or that bad) in the first place. And really, how can they trust you (again) if that is how you feel? Oh, and don’t get me on gaslighting.
Ugh, ain’t nothing like someone claiming that they want to set things right with you, only to act like they don’t really get where you are coming from with the issues y’all were having in the first place. A good gaslight line in an apology: “If that is what you think happened, I apologize.” Yeah, you can keep that, jack. Never accept this kind of apology — because it isn’t one.
3. She addressed why she needed to make the apology in the first place. Wanna know one of the main reasons why I don’t trust people who don’t believe in having regrets (check out “Why Regret Might Not Always Be A Bad Thing”)? Did you know that apology means “a written or spoken expression of one's regret, remorse, or sorrow for having insulted, failed, injured, or wronged another.” How, as a human, do you think that you are out here not making any mistakes or poor decisions that you sometimes need to APOLOGIZE for? That is just…insane.
And one of the reasons why apologies are important is because if you feel bad about “failing” someone, it’s usually because you value them enough to want to keep them around. And yes, in my friend’s apology, she also explained why she didn’t want me to feel hurt in the way that she had hurt my feelings and what she would do to prevent that from happening in the first place.
So y’all, with all of this out of the way, before getting deeper into this topic? If an ex is hitting you up to apologize to you for something, please make sure that he hits all three marks of a true apology.
Now let’s keep going.
A Genuine Apology Should Also Include an Amends
GiphyA few years ago, I wrote an article for the platform entitled, “Heads Up: It's NOT An Apology If An Amends Isn't Made.” You know how I mentioned a second ago that a solid apology has no gaslighting in it? Hmph. Ain’t it wild how someone can do something that hurts or harms you and yet, they want you to just “hurry up and get over it”? GASLIGHTING.
Someone in my family, after unpacking years of abuse that I experienced at their hand, they had the nerve to say, “I’m not going to keep apologizing to you for this.” Hmm…Okay. So, how about you let me give you a consistent three months’ worth of the years of mistreatment that I experienced from you and then flippantly throw an apology your way. Let’s see how you feel about it. How much you believe that I am being genuine and sincere.
Listen — and please hear me GOOD on this: when someone really gets the magnitude of the pain or discomfort and inconvenience that they caused, they aren’t going to be fine with just saying that they are sorry for it; they are going to ask you what they can do to set things right.
It’s actually a part of the reason why I named the four children who I aborted (check out “Why I Named The Children I Aborted”) because I do have some real remorse for those decisions. Each of their names have an intentional meaning and I strive to leave out their purpose, through those names, on a daily basis. It’s a small way of making amends.
You know, back when my first book came out, my first love reached out, via email, to send me an apology. The apology hit most of the points that I mentioned earlier. Looking back, there wasn’t an offer to make an amends, though, and trust me, there was A LOT to make up for.
At the end of the day, amends means “reparation or compensation for a loss, damage, or injury of any kind; recompense” and while none of us should use bitterness, resentment or emotional stagnation as the “bar” for which we should expect amends to be made, if you’re trying to figure out just how sincere an ex is with their apology, if they want to do something to make things better, that’s a good sign.
There is a caveat, though.
Discern the Motives. Always.
GiphyEarlier this summer, I wrote an article for the platform entitled, “What's Your Motive For Sex? (It Reveals A Lot. Trust Me.)” Then, a few weeks ago, I wrote another article entitled, “As Cuffing Season Steadily Approaches, What The Heck Is 'Winter Coating'?” and boy, when I tell you that both of these complement this point really well? Goodness.
If you’ve never heard of the dating trend known as winter coating before, it’s basically when an ex creeps back up around cuffing season — and if you know what cuffing season is all about, you can absolutely connect the very probable motives behind those dots.
Now can there be exceptions? There are ALWAYS exceptions. Still, if you haven’t heard from your ex in years and here he comes a couple of weeks before Christmas, unless the two of you got together or broke up around the holidays, stay on potential “winter coating alert,” because it might not be about “building bridges” so much as getting into your bedroom.
That said, if it’s been a minute (six months or more) since you’ve heard from an ex and he suddenly reaches out to apologize, absolutely take out a moment to discern the motive — and shoot, feel fine with even asking what is causing him to make the move…now. If it’s in the spirit of the holidays and wanting to go into a new year with a clean slate, got it. If it’s because he’s been in therapy and realizes that he didn’t end certain things in his past very well, understood. If it’s because he didn’t like how the two of you broke up and he wants to try and make peace, that’s fair.
On the other hand, if you sense that he wants to rekindle something (check out “Nelly And Ashanti Are Giving It Another Shot? Here's What You Should Know About 'Ex Reconciliation'” and “I'm Thrilled That Ryan Destiny & Keith Powers Are Back Together. 5 Things Before Reuniting With Your Ex, Tho.” and “What Happens When 'The One Who Got Away'...Comes Back?”) — although that’s kind of another article for another time, do check that motive.
When someone apologizes, you should really be the only focus for them; not what they can get out of it on the back end. Listen, even if he hopes to get back with you (or back in bed with you), that shouldn’t be something that is discussed during the apology. If it is said or even implied, something about HIS MOTIVE is disingenuous. And if that is indeed the case, to a valid extent, so is he.
We All Should Give the Grace and Mercy That We Desire
GiphySooner than later, I’m going to write an article about forgiveness (beyond what I already have here). For now I’ll just say that if you are someone who thinks that other people don’t deserve forgiveness? That is either your pain or your ego talking and, either way, you can’t trust “their” judgment.
All of us mess up sometimes and if you are a karma (or you reap what you sow) believer, then you absolutely should want to extend others grace and mercy so that you can receive it in your own time of need (and you are absolutely delusional if you think a time won’t come, sooner than you probably think, that you will need it).
Besides, do you know all of the self-inflicted drama and trauma that comes from NOT forgiving others: higher blood pressure, insomnia, stress, anxiety, the higher risk of a heart attack, a weakened immunity, a greater risk for depression and anxiety — whatever he did, is it really worth all of this? Yeah, while a lot of people think that weaponizing forgiveness is empowering, really all it’s doing is putting themselves in harm’s way. Physically. Emotionally. SPIRITUALLY: “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matthew 6:14-15 — NKJV)
By the way, no one is saying that forgiving that man means that you have to allow him back into your life. After all, access is a privilege. Yet if he comes to you and acknowledges that he feels sorry for some things, for the sake of your own sanity, why not let him express it? Don’t wanna meet up or talk on the phone? Understood. Email and/or text are there for the taking. Don’t want to go back and forth? Who said that it needs to be a discussion or a debate?
All I know is, the more time you spend on this planet, the more you want to put out the energy that you want to come back. Forgiving others tends to make life easier. Not forgiving? Oh, the way that it boomerangs, sometimes in ways you never saw coming, chile. Dodge that kind of experience (and typically hard life lesson) if you can.
Yes, Better Late than Never
GiphyToo late to apologize. Yeah, I don’t really know if there is such a thing (because forgiving and reconciling are not one in the same and some of y’all will catch that later). I’ll wrap this up with a story to prove my point.
Once upon a time, I knew a woman who was in a serious relationship and yet, whenever her boyfriend would bring up the possibility of marriage, she would stall him out. When I finally asked her what her deal was, she explained that she still harbored so much pain from the man before him that she didn’t fully trust that he was the real deal. About five months later, here came her ex with a thorough explanation for why he made some of the decisions that he did while they were together. Now that she had the full story, she was able to heal. She got married to her boyfriend that following year.
You see where I am going with this? Although your ex’s apology might be “late” as far as y’all’s relationship timeline, the timing may be BRILLIANT when it comes to true when and why you actually need it. Yeah, a Scripture that I adore is “Timing is the Father’s business” (Acts 1:7 — Message) and sometimes those apologies, in the grand scheme of things, are more on time than you could ever imagine; they’re when God deems you need them not when you want to have them.
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It is Oprah Winfrey who once said, “True forgiveness is when you can say, "Thank you for that experience” and sis, if you remove the bitterness and anger and look deeper, there were valuable lessons, even in and from the most challenging relationships. And that is worth appreciating through forgiveness and, if need be, full and complete release.
Bottom line, should you accept an ex’s late apology? Absolutely.
What better way to illuminate your present on a whole ‘nother level.
Just as forgiveness always does.
TRUST ME.
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