“In her account of failing to forgive the 7/7 bomber who killed her daughter, Jenny, it was almost as if Julie Nicholson was In Search of Forgiveness (Radio 4) herself. The programme’s remit was to explore forgiveness, but what struck you most was how relieved Nicholson was when she heard that it was reasonable – even for a former vicar – to find forgiveness impossible.
It was the philosopher Julian Baggini who said what she wanted to hear. “It’s almost insulting,” he argued, “to say to people that time will heal, you’ll get over it. Surely not.” You could hear the relief in Nicholson’s voice, unclenched on the subject for the first time. “I’m just absolutely reassured to hear someone speaking like that,” she said.”
From the Guardian’s review of Nicholson’s programme, on which I am one of many people she talks to. You can listen to it here.