Summary

The men begin their conversation about the fifth pillar of joy, forgiveness, by giving examples they have come across during their time as leaders. Archbishop Tutu offers an example of a grieving mother gently touching her son’s killers face and saying, “my child, we forgive you” (230). Similarly, the Dalai Lama offers the story of a man from Northern Ireland who forgave and befriended the soldier who shot him in the head, causing him permanent blindness. The Dalai Lama and Archbishop Tutu offer these examples to show that forgiveness on such an extreme scale is possible, which brings the conversation back down to the smaller, day-to-day forgiveness necessary for cultivating a joyful life.

The Dalai Lama argues that forgiveness is rooted in a genuine concern for other’s well-being. Keeping other’s well-being at the forefront of one’s...