Iceland and Australia are geographically like this. In the middle of the two is South Africa.We decided upon the city of Cape Town, and there we met for one week.The city itself proved to be a stunningly powerful environment to focus on reconciliation and forgiveness.Nowhere else has healing and rapprochement been tested like it has in South Africa.As a nation, South Africa sought to sit within the truth of its past, and to listen to the details of its history.Knowing this only magnified the effect that Cape Town had on us.Over the course of this week, we literally spoke our life stories to each other, from start to finish.And this was about analyzing our own history.We followed a strict policy of being honest, and this also came with a certain exposure, an open-chested vulnerability.There were gutting confessions, and moments where we just absolutely couldn't fathom the other person's experience.The seismic effects of sexual violence were spoken aloud and felt, face to face.At other times, though, we found a soaring clarity, and even some totally unexpected but liberating laughter.When it came down to it, we did out best to listen to each other intently.
