Be Sorry

It’s hard for me to be around people who can’t admit that they’re wrong.  I can’t sympathize or empathize with them.  Saying a simple “I’m sorry” or “What I did was wrong” isn’t who they are.  When a person has this characteristic, they also have another characteristic: they aren’t successful.  They aren’t successful in their relationships, their jobs/careers and in life overall.  They aren’t happy people and it is very difficult for them to make friends.

When you’ve done something wrong, admit it and be sorry.  No one in history has ever choked to death from swallowing their pride. ~Unknown

I know a formerly married couple in which the woman had lived with her husband’s inability to say “I’m sorry” for 37 years.  Yes, that’s right.  They were married for 37 years.  And not once was he able to say “I’m sorry”.

She once told me that after the first few years, she just tried to overlook that trait in him–that she loved him too much to end the marriage because he couldn’t say “I’m sorry”.  So, as the years added up, there were many times that she felt that she was owed an apology, but she never received one.

But then he did something that wasn’t considered a “little” mistake.  It was something that damaged their marriage.

She told him that if he didn’t apologize for what he’d done and that they both try to repair the damage, she would file for divorce.  Do you know what he did?  Absolutely nothing.  He signed the divorce papers as soon as he was able to and their marriage ended that day.

Not saying “I’m sorry” is the coward’s way out.  It takes strength of character to say, “Look, I was wrong.  I am so sorry.  Please forgive me.”  Many, many times that’s all a person needs to hear.  Because those few words can help heal a heart and it shows you that the person asking for forgiveness is sincere and that they care about you.

Be sorry.  And say the words.  Our hearts need to hear those words.

Sending you blessings of love, laughter and gratitude from Sterrett, Alabama!
Charity