Two Rakaat for Every Sin

One day the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) called his Muezzin Bilal (radi Allahu anhu) and asked him, "O Bilal! Which deed have you committed that made you enter Paradise before me? Last night, in front of me, I heard the tapping of your shoes in Paradise."
 
Bilal (radi Allahu anhu) replied: "O Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam), whenever I commit a sin, I stand up and offer two Rakaat of prayer."
 
Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: "It is thanks to this deed." [Ibn-e-Huzaima]
 
Praying to Allah (subhana wa ta'ala) and begging Him to forgive me and have mercy on me, when I have subverted the responsibilities He has enjoined on me towards myself and others, will lead to my earlier entry into Paradise.
 
But for this repentance to be sincere and warrant Allah's acceptance, I first need to develop sensitivity to my sins and the harm that they cause me.
 
How can my sins be blotted from my record when I don't realize and acknowledge the harm that I have done?
 
Only the tears that fall from my eyes in repentance for my wrong-doing will erase the ink with which my misdeeds are recorded.
Sent via BlackBerry by Union Paradise