What happened after the fatted calf was eaten?

Any one that has been a Christian for a year or more has certainly heard the parable of the prodigal son. Even if you are not a Christian, you probably have heard of it and may even understand the story.

What I wonder is what happened when they were done cleaning up and putting the dishes away. What happened when party was over, how did they settle back into life again? What happened with the music stopped, when the last guest left?

Throughout anyone’s life, there is disappointment. The disappointment comes in many forms and most notably from those you love, or should love, the most. The stories are all around us. You hear about the child that was verbally or physically abused, neglected or just not nurtured. You hear about the parent that was so consumed with alcohol or career that they left the family behind. You hear about the cheating spouse, the child that broke the law or the friend that stole from another.

Disappointment surrounds us, and this parable gives us a prescription for addressing the forgiveness warranted to those you care about. What do you do when the forgiveness is complete, how do you go on from there?

To me this question is an important question because it goes right to the heart our daily lives. When someone you care about disappoints, after they have made their amends, just how much do you trust them? Can the relationship return to the pre-disappointment state? Do you trust them as if nothing ever happened? Do you re-divide the inheritance and give another third again, or has that bridge been crossed?

Just how do we continue when the fatted calf is now gone?