Atonement

We watched one of those sappy, feel-good, Hallmark Christmas shows last night.  It starred Sam Elliot, one of my favorite character actors.  It was a story about redemption.  Through a little girl's cancer, a number of relationships were put back together and a little hope got passed around.  It was a fine story.  However, there was a sub-plot that I found more interesting.
Sam Elliot and another old guy had apparently been estranged for years.  We find out that Sam lost his 13 year-old son in a car accident and his best friend (the other old guy) lost his wife to cancer.  Sam, still grieving the loss of his son was unable to be a real friend to his friend, when his wife died.
At one point, Sam asked his friend to forgive him.  And thus the most powerful point in the movie.
Why?
Well, there was a transaction in the cab of a pick-up truck, where one person acknowledged wrongdoing and another was willing to fore-go continuing to be cold toward his old friend.
It makes me think, that atonement is the crying need of the human heart.  Somehow or other, sin and suffering must be addressed.  That is the genius of the Gospel.
There is a transaction where one who has been wronged, takes to himself the pain of the wrongdoing, absorbing the consequences of another's sin and restoring relationship.
Hallmark did not make this very clear, but it was what struck me. And it was very satisfying, even relieving in a graceful sort of way.
More than anything else, I need my sin and it's consequent brokenness atoned for.  I cannot fully do this either regarding my relationship with my creator or my circle of relationships.
Real satisfaction both for my sin and in spite of my sin are only possible if that sin is atoned for.  Perhaps the reason I am so often dissatisfied with my relationships has to do with my lack of appreciation for the real atonement that must be made, has been made.