TERRY Hicks is an extraordinary man.

At the age when most men are going fishing and spending time with their grandchildren, he has dedicated unconditionally his life to his son.

He freely acknowledges that David has done wrong, yet he still believes in his basic goodness, and his right to be treated fairly.

It seems that the incredible period of five years confinement, most of it solitary, is now coming to a close – many would claim after a questionable legal process.

It would seem the American government itself has questions about that process as it will not allow any American citizens to appear before a military tribunal as David Hicks did.

David will soon be coming home to serve a reasonably minimal prison sentence.

Then he will begin the process of reintegrating into Australian society. I don’t think there is any doubt he will carry for life the scars of his experience.

He will have to face up to the greatest challenge of his life – moving beyond the experience of the past five years. There is no way he can recover the years that were lost, or even seek effective compensation.

His enormous challenge is to forgive! He will not be able to settle accounts, square the books and seek justice, which would in reality be revenge.

He has to forgive and walk on.

Maybe we would more effectively bring this forgiveness and reconciliation into place if we saw Easter as not just a religious celebration, or even a great long weekend, but rather a time to ponder the teachings of Jesus on reconciliation and forgiveness. Calvary was the result of a political process.

Seeking “justice” would not be productive. Instead, forgiveness and reconciliation is required.

The world will only move on from violence if David Hicks, the American political process (and our own), the Iraqi people and all involved turn to forgiveness and reconciliation rather than violence and “getting square”.