To forgive, yet not to forget

Dear Mr. Ex-President,

In response to the current issue whether we forgive or not to forgive you, I will say that I may forgive you.

Lately, I have been thinking of how you have faced too many difficulties. Seeing your family perishing, one of your child after another was accused of doing criminals, and your favorite daughter-in-law was about to be divorced, have not been easy for you.

I started to feel very sorry for you.

It must have been very difficult for you. Maybe you have felt guilty. Maybe those sufferings were some of many reasons that have caused your illness. Maybe you have wished you could have done differently. Maybe you prayed to God to have another chance to re-do your life. Maybe, and just maybe.

Yes, I really feel sorry for you.

In your old age, I reckon you have felt sorry, somehow. I believe, you are (or have been) a good person, somehow (yet, this world had destroyed your good side). Thus, I think, I will forgive you and erase what you have done in the past, although I had ever suffered from the discrimination issue that you had planted in the past. I will forgive you, thus you may rest in peace in the palace, Astana Giribangun, next to your lovely wife.

But, don't expect me to forget, because I will tell the story about you to my children and grandchildren and (maybe) great grandchildren. I will teach them about love, not love of money and power, like what you had, but love to God and family. I will tell them that greed and hatred will bring them a great suffering. I will tell them not to be like you.

Ah, Sir, despite the awful things you have done in the past, I want to to thank you for a few good things that you did or brought to this country, which I may not know or realize.

Whether you cling to life or death, I pray for the best.

Best regard,

Nie'