It's very true. Forgiveness is a process. It can happen fast or take years. I have no clue what JAR's theory of this case is. Does he think a stranger broke in? His step mother and his father killed their little girl? Or perhaps he knew Burke was a strange kid and suspected what most of us have come to conclude. Whatever his thoughts, he chose to forgive.
About 10 years ago a teenager from an abusive home in Missouri was kicked out of the house by his dad. He stole a gun. Killed two people in town and stole their truck. Drove to Texas. Found a house randomly in Pampa, Texas. Crept in late night. The family sound asleep. Shot the 31 year old homeowner. Then killed the 35 year old wife who was 6 months pregnant. Down the hall he found the 10 year old daughters room. Shot. Then to the 14 year old son, killed him. The little girl survived, the bullet missed. She played dead and waited til daylight terrified and called 911.
http://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/the-girl-who-saw-too-much/
At the trial of the man who destroyed her family:
After a week of testimony, Switzer called Robins name. She came into the courtroom, which was packed with Pampa residents. They leaned forward as she took the stand. No one had any idea what she would sayor if she would say anything at all.
Robin recounted the events of the night of the murder, quickly going through the details. Then Switzer asked her if she missed her mother. Seemingly caught by surprise, Robin said she wished her mother had been around this past year for some of the bigger milestones in her life, including the eighth grade dance and her first day of high school. Suddenly, she turned and stared straight at King and told him she was constantly haunted by her mothers screams from that night and was still sometimes scared to go to sleep.
The specatators in the courtroom assumed that that would be the last they would hear from Robin. Switzer herself had no plans to call Robin back to the courtroom. But Robin told the prosecutor that she had one more thing to say. And so, after King was sentenced to life without paroleone of the twelve jurors refused to vote for the death penalty, which requires a unanimous voteRobin took the stand to make a victims impact statement. She looked at King and told him that she forgave him, and that she hoped when the day came for him to meet God, he would ask for forgiveness too. King kept his head down, unable to look at the teenager.
I dont know why I said what I said, Robin told me when I asked her about the forgiveness statement. Maybe I just wanted him to know that I wasnt going to let my life be ruined by himthat I wasnt going to let him take away the best of me.