Forgiving someone takes more nerve than holding a grudge. Grudges are easy. They just sit there.

Resentment requires nothing of you. It maintains itself, keeps the other person at a safe distance, and lets you stay right. Letting it go means giving up that protection and accepting that the hurt happened without a running settlement, which is far more exposed than staying angry.

Forgiveness does not mean pretending or resuming contact. It can be private, and it can be partial. Try naming what the grudge is doing for you, then ask whether you still need it doing that. Some of these take years, and there is no schedule you are late for.