How to Stop Fighting Step #2 Overcoming the Hurt -- Replacing Humiliation with Respect

Apology and Forgiveness

Apologies and forgiveness are important in difficult conflicts because conflict generates strong emotions.

Even after the fighting stops, people still feel the pain, hurt, anger, and fear that produced the conflict in the first place. Without apology and forgiveness, people remain locked in the value systems that produced the conflict.

So little progress towards resolution or reconciliation can be made.