DAY 72: ATONEMENT

     Today at sundown Jews begin to observe Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, when you ask for forgiveness for all of your sins from the year before.  It's 24 hours of praying and fasting.  I was talking about it with someone recently and she asked what about all of those people who owe you an apology, but never do?   What about all of those people who have hurt you and never sought atonement for their actions? What about them?  My guess is that a rabbi would tell you to forgive them even if they never asked you for forgiveness or offered an apology.  That's a tall order to get your head around.  A really tall order.  Even if you can find a way to forgive those people, why would you want them in your life after that?  I need to think about it some more, which is what this reflection period is probably all about...