To err is human, to forgive divine

I'm sure you have heard this saying time and time again. I have, but today I started thinking about it in a more-than-cursory manner. I was hurt terribly by someone, recently, and it came out of the blue, without warning and with no explanation. The question I ask myself is, "Can I forgive this person?"
Then I starting thinking about all the times *I* hurt someone. I have apologized for some of these hurts. Some hurts I inflicted long ago and I just can't find those people to apologize to them. For example, in fifth grade, there was this girl I really really liked, but I made fun of her haircut once and caused her to cry. I never said I was sorry, but to this day I surely wish I could. Finally, there are some things I've done that I am just to embarrassed about to apologize. This is my current area of work!

When you do get to apologize, it can lift a heavy burden. When I was young, I was engaged but the engagement fell apart and my ex-fiancee and I drifted apart. Years later, I did track her down to talk to her about what happened. She started out by saying she was sorry she caused the break-up. This was surprising to me since it was my selfishness and my lack of appreciation for all that she offered that caused things to go awry. So I assured her it wasn't her fault at all; I said I was sorry for essentially driving her away. Sadly, she died from breast cancer a year later, but I was so glad I got the chance to apologize for what had happened. Soon after she died, I heard her call out my name, as if to say it was OK, she had forgiven me.

As to this recent hurt, I hope I get a chance to say all is forgiven.  I know that I have done many bad things; who am I to withhold forgiveness when I wish those I have hurt in the past would forgive me?