Forgiveness

I recently read a few articles and watched a few documentaries online about the amazing state of Rwanda.  Just 15 years ago there was a terrible genocide there (is there any other kind of genocide?) that we all stood and watch from the sideline.  The genocide was based on deeply rooted hatred between the Hutu and Tootsie (sp?). 
Today the situation in Rwanda is beyond the word "amazing".  There is true reconciliation there.  People forgive their neighbors, who murdered their entire family; people invite these murderers to their family weddings, etc.  Can you even begin imagining such thing?  How can one forgive somebody who killed his/her father, mother, brothers and sisters - often in front of his own eyes?  How?  The answer is too simple:  the victims don't want to be victims.  They want to move on.  And they realized:  the only way to move on is to forgive.  I'm sure it's not that simple.  There's a lot of emotions and politics involved too and the Tootsie are still hunting those who planned the genocide.  Nevertheless, the private reconciliations and forgiveness is simply beyond understanding of us in the western world.  (Oh, BTW, meanwhile Rwanda's economy is blooming.  Related?)
I encourage readers to google "Rwanda reconciliation" and find out more.

I brought it up not only because it is so beyond amazing, but also because of my personal connection as a Jew:  The Jewish people suffered from the Holocaust.  My own family was murdered.  My own uncle survived the death camps.  I was brought up with the message "to remember and never forget".  Underneath this message there was and still is the message "never forgive".  Every Israeli knows about it.  We've been taught to hate everything that is German (except for the millions and millions of compensation dollars we received).  Isn't it time that we forgive Germany and move on?  If we don't forgive, how can we ever move on?  When will we stop being the eternal victim?  Why do we feel the need to always be a victim?

As the Rwandan victims prove, forgiveness is easy - weather on personal or national level.  All it takes is to make a switch in your heart.  That's all, seriously.