Forgiveness is letting go of the power the
offense and the offender have over a person. It means no longer letting that
offense and offender dominate. Without this experience of forgiveness, without
this closure, the wound festers, the violation takes over our consciousness,
our lives. It, and the offender, are in control. Real forgiveness, then, is an
act of empowerment and healing. It allows one to move from victim to survivor.
Howard Zehr
