The context of this piece by Griswald and Meninger is that everyone needs to forgive and to be forgiven at some point in their lives. All humans whether generally good or generally bad can cause harm to others, both on purpose or completely on accident. Forgiveness is called for in both circumstances. The audience is adults and anyone else who is interests in reading about forgiveness. This piece is not light reading and therefore would not be for children. This piece is composed of many main points that all circulate around the fact that everyone needs to be forgiven. People that do wrong to others are not monsters. They are humans just like the rest of us that have made mistakes. This point is very scary. It is easy to call people that have hurt others monsters, but that is not the case. Everyone is capable of hurting each other, just like everyone is capable of forgiveness. Everyone has hurt and been hurt by others. It is the way we handle the aftermath of both situations that matters. After hurting someone it can be extremely difficult to apologize and ask for forgiveness. After being hurt it is even harder to give forgiveness and not seek revenge. Revenge is a danger matter that causes the cycle of hurt to become constant and to never end. What truly defines forgiveness? Forgiveness helps to stop the cycle of retaliation and to let go of all the negative feelings towards another person. It is not possible to forgive someone if feelings of hate still arise when thinking about or seeing the wrongdoer. Forgiveness can be both bilateral and unilateral. It helps when both parties want the same outcome, when the wrongdoer apologies and the victim is ready to give forgiveness. Sometimes the wrongdoer will not apologize and the victim is still ready to give forgiveness. Forgiveness is healthy for both parties involved in a negative encounter. One major difference in viewpoints that Griswald and Meninger have is their opinions on unconditional forgiveness. Griswald disagrees with the idea of unconditional forgiveness because it does not involve any apology or confession of wrongdoing by the perpetrator. Forgiveness should be a two way street and both parties should be involved according to Griswald. Meninger believes that unconditional forgiveness is a right because it allows both parties to move on, even if they are not moving on together. Sometimes forgiven should be earned but others times it should just be given. When a victim gives forgiveness, even to a perpetrator that does not ask for it, the victim is given a chance to move on. Sometimes wrongdoers do not see the harm that they have caused, and even if they do see it they are to prideful to move on. Without the option of forgiveness a victim could seek negative outlets such as revenge. Forgiveness is a much better option for both parties. I understood most of the piece. It is hard to give forgiveness to people who do not see that they are in the wrong but sometimes forgiveness is the only option to help get over a negative incident. Hate is as strong as love is, it is just the opposite and a negative emotion. If the victim hates the perpetrator that does not see they are in the wrong, the victim is filling there live with negativity. Unconditional forgiveness is an option that allows the victim to move on and mend the feelings of hate and revenge that could potentially take over their life. Even though forgiveness can be a difficult thing to give out we should all strive to give forgiveness to those who wrong us and ask for it from it from those we have harmed.