Children and teen agers can't comprehend or accept that poor decisions they make now WILL affect their future.
Then we have our adult years. Don't look so shocked in your 30's or 40's when you want it erased because YOU have let it go and God and the people who care about you have forgiven you.
No one has to forget it.
Forgiveness does not erase your past.
How awesome it must be to live a certain way doing hurtful things to just think when you are finished you can say
"I forgive myself all done".
No. Doesn't work that way.