After watching John Kerry flounder around all week pretending to apologize, I thought he and others could use a short course in apologizing. First, do not: blame others for being offended, pretend you didn't really do it, say it's not all that important, say you were misunderstood, or any other weaselly attempt to sing and dance your way out of trouble.
You see, a real apology is a wonderful thing. It is an almost foolproof way to restore a broken relationship and that is an incredibly valuable thing. A proper apology begins with the hardest thing of all: acceptance of responsibility and guilt, "I was wrong to do _____." It continues by communicating repentance. Now, repentance is not merely being sorry, but being sorry enough to change your course of action, "I should have done _____ and I will do that in the future." Finally, it ends only one proper way, a request not for understanding or for forbearance, but "Will you forgive me?"
These three simple steps are very seldom completed and it's a shame. I've found that being quick to forgive and even quicker to ask forgiveness will keep you at peace with most men. Give it a try.
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