The word forgiveness opened the door for him to step through. Once he knew that you had forgiven him, he felt more comfortable in connecting w/the family.
If you recall, the Rip Van Winkle thread touched on how my xh started communicating w/me after I had notified him about my bil's tragic death. They cannot make the first move, they are frozen w/fear of what we will say or react to their request for forgiveness. Once you have shown them that you have forgiven them, then they can start to test the waters of being around family and old friends. It's very difficult for them to admit to what they've done and to be perfectly honest w/you, they just don't know what to do when they get to stage in the crisis.
Accept him as he is today, for tomorrow, he could be back in the hole. Do not read anything into what he's done. He was happy to know that you do not hold a grudge. Treat him just as if he were a friend...no expectations.
Sit quietly, the answers will reveal themselves when you least expect them to. The past is gone, the present is a gift and you need to focus on today, allow the future to reveal itself when it is ready.
