This is an extremely well-thought out and powerful episode with very insightful and touching ideas. Not only is the idea of the "Forgiveness Project" brilliant it is also a true reflection on real life and how some things are easier to forgive than others. For each character we get to see weather the project bears fruit or not. Both Lucas and Zay want to try and forgive Farkle for spoiling movies for them and once they discover why he does it, that makes it easier for them to forgive him. With Riley she is trying to forgive Auggie for chewing the face off of her teddy bear and at first her forgiveness is not genuine but like Lucas and Zay once she knows the reason it happened she is able to forgive him.
Maya's project is the hardest because she wants to be able to forgive her father for leaving her and her mom. So when he comes to visit in response to her letter and explains his reasons for leaving I completely got why she couldn't forgive him. I found myself wondering if Shawn ever actually forgave his parents for what they did to him because while he made peace with Chet before he died I don't know that he ever actually forgave him and as far as Virna goes he never even got to have a conversation with her about what her actions did to him instead she dropped a massive bombshell on him after Chet's death telling him she was never coming back and that she wasn't his real mother. With this revelation Shawn suffered even more pain than he had when Chet died because he suddenly realized everything in his life wasn't what he thought it was and that he had no idea who he really was. This caused him to spiral and get drunk which he wouldn't have done under any other circumstances because he knew the family history and his own history with alcohol but unlike the first time when his anger was directed outward this time his anger was self-directed and really hard to watch as it was one of the few times that he broke down emotionally.
Back with this episode the part I found most touching was the whole conversation between Cory and Maya after her dad left.
Maya: "I know you wanted me to forgive him but I couldn't. You were wrong about this one Mr. Matthews."
Cory: "I never expected that Maya. That kind of forgivness doesn't come so easily."
Maya: "Than what did you want from me?"
Cory: " Did you forgive yourself?" After that Maya cried against his chest as he hugged her so this was a powerhouse episode for Maya that took her through a lot of heavy emotions and turmoil.
