Introduction: How I reluctantly discovered forgiveness and why I set out to explore it

1. The heart of darkness : how two lives were taken and two friends were made

2. The science : is forgiveness natural, and does it provide health benefits?

3. Making amends : the role of redemption

4. A reckoning of origins : forgiving our parents

5. The ecology of trust : forgiveness in intimate relationships

6. A touch of grace : forgiveness as a spiritual (and secular) practice

7. The survivor : how one woman forgave the "unforgivable" in Rwanda

8. Chain reaction : the institutional habits that spread forgiveness in schools and communities

9. Living peace : how innovative international programs are setting the stage for forgiveness between longtime adversaries

10. Orange-yellow streams of light : a forgiveness ceremony

Appendix : Forgiveness practices.