Dear Abby: Professor forced out of job with no explanation can’t shake the feeling of resentment

DEAR ABBY: It’s been five years since my position as professor at a small graduate school ended. I was forced out after 30 years of teaching, and two years short of my announced retirement date. I did nothing wrong. The reasons given were vague. Being deprived of a solid explanation hurt me deeply.
There was no severance pay and no benefits. I lost a substantial amount of income at a crucial point in my life, but no one seemed to give that a thought. For a long time, I was heartsick. I cannot yet find it in myself to forgive the dean and the president of the school. But somehow, I feel I should. How do I get unstuck? I’ve actually moved on in many ways, but I just can’t forgive. — HURTING STILL
DEAR HURTING: Here’s how to get unstuck: Find a competent attorney who specializes in wrongful termination and discuss what was done to you. Follow the attorney’s advice, and when you are properly compensated, you are likely to be in a far more forgiving mood than you are today.
***
Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.