Forgiveness is, first of all, giving to those who have hurt us, those
who have no right to expect any good from us. The gift we offer
is an invitation to the other to see himself or herself as someone
worth redeeming, someone more important than the hurt done to
us. It is, therefore, also an invitation to admit fault, to repent.
This unconditional gift of forgiveness has power in itself. Even if
it is rejected, it changes the giver and the situation. When
accepted and allowed to change the one who is forgiven as well,
that is the best of all.

                        From an essay by Keith Beasley-Topliffe