Former Oklahoma County district attorney speaks about overcoming contention, divisiveness

He called Lane and it led to a full reconciliation, he said. “That day, love overcame hate,” he said.

Lane, who last week officially asked Prater to forgive him though they'd both already forgiven each other, said the weeks following his defeat for re-election were one of the greatest times in his and his wife's life.

“I didn't expect to lose, was hurting, embarrassed and wanted to evaporate, but we realized we'd structured our life around God, something that couldn't be destroyed or taken away,” he said.

Lane talked about the rock of small kindnesses, telling of a time he attended the funeral of a judge and Prater tapped him on the shoulder and asked him to come over and sit with the DA's office.

He also said that meekness gets a bad rap as “sissy,” when it's really “self-restraint rooted in the recognition that it's not all about you.”

Lane closed with a call to area businesspeople to astonish the nation like they did following the bombing of the Murrah building.

“For one, we need to empty out the needs of our foster care system,” said Lane, chairman of the Department of Human Services Commission.