Monday 21 May 2012

I'M SORRY


I think anyone with a heart that pumps blood could tell you how challenging it is at times to make an apology. Walk into any house on your street and ask the occupants if they are a quick forgive, or if the word ‘sorry’ gets stuck in their throat sometimes and you’ll quickly find yourself with a myriad of answers – half of them couched in caveats: ‘I’m always the first to say sorry, BUT it depends on the circumstances!"

Didn’t Elton John have it so right when he said, “Sorry seems to be the hardest word.” One it comes to that little five-letter word and one’s personal relationships things can get complicated really quickly. For some people the notion of apologizing is a capitulation they are simply not able or genetically designed to make. For others, they are quick to say it, but you know they don’t mean it. And of course you can also stumble across those human gems that say it instantly, mean it with the utmost sincerity and drive the rest of us bonkers cause they're so damn evolved.

I think I fall somewhere in the middle. When I’m wrong, or have done something moronic (it happens) I readily admit it and will tell my husband so. The problem is, determining when I’m wrong is not always so easy (ha!). Let’s face it, sometimes I’m just so convinced that I’m right that I’d rather spend the time convincing my husband of my viewpoint – and vice versa. Yes, we can be utterly exhausting. On the good side of things, I think we – like most adults (ahem) out there – are starting to realize that an apology ends whatever pointless argument we are having and gets us back to the more poignant and pressing matters in life: like who is going to bathe the King. You see, baby steps, the only path to the heartfelt apology. 

I think the thing that amazes me – or scares me senseless – about human beings is how truly stubborn we can be. Despite umpteenth religions telling us the importance of forgiveness – hey Jesus forgave and look how he was treated; Geeesh! – Many people can simply not come around to the fact that their behavior cannot always go unchecked and it is hurtful to those around them. These people utterly mystify me. Yeah sure, we’d all like to NOT be culpable for our actions and walk around hurling that three letter conjoining excuse (yeah, BUT; I’m talking to you) that attempts to explain our transgressions, but it comes to the point where some people just have to stop being so darn pigheaded and just apologize for being…well, human. No caveats, no buts, no escaping. You screwed up and acted like an ass, now own up to it.

That’s the beauty of the apology. We’re human; we’re built with design flaws. Big ones. In fact, if we were laptops, we’d all be sent back to the factory for some serious refurbishment. So hence, why most humans need to get in bed with the apology, give it a big fat hug, and pony that bad boy out a lot more often.

Sorry for not blogging on Friday…gosh, it just gets easier and easier.

Happy Monday.


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