I am certainly having a moment of CRANKY today!
Lucky you, I’m sharing it. But I think many of you will agree with
me. I hope you do agree for that would
give me more hope for our planet.
This started a few years ago with my beautiful
pre-teen daughter was only a toddler in pre-school. She came home one day and did something to
upset me, not sure what I don’t remember.
Anyway, she muttered the word, “sorry.”
“What did you say sweetie?” “Sorry”
I am just thinking I didn’t hear all of it correctly. She said she learned at school (of course she learned it the proper way at home) that when you do
something wrong you’re supposed to say “sorry.”
So friends this is the point where you’re thinking I’m just
nuts for not being appreciative of such a fine gesture as an apology but I wasn’t
and here is why. When a human messes up
something so terribly that an apology is warranted, they should feel remorse
and own the mistake or misstep. How does
one OWN a mistake? I think by including
the personal pronoun, I, in the heartfelt apology. Picky, picky, picky, go ahead, let me have
it! But I think that acknowledgement of
a wrongdoing needs to have an owner and it needs to be said out loud for the would-be offender to
hear, absorb and chew on and the alleged victim to hear. Go ahead and try it with me, “I’m sorry for
the way I offended you. It was wrong of
me and I apologize, will you accept my apology?”
Kids can’t construct such verbose apologies, I get it. But can we at least start UN-teaching the
teaching of it is ok to half-ass your way into forgiveness. “Sorry.”
NO! “I’m sorry.” Ahhhh, that’s much better, right?
It makes me think the generation who learns to say “sorry”
will grow up to be ok with pitiful apologies from politicians who say “sorry”
when really what they mean is “sorry I got caught.” (click on that link to see a little goodie I found) I think we all know who this is; you’ve
watched the news this week, right?
And there are different kinds of apologies, right? “I’m sorry I wrecked your car, I’ll pay for
the damages,” “I’m sorry I’m late, I
should’ve called you,” “I’m sorry that I
drank the last beer.”
So I’ll just do the right thing right now while I have your
attention and apologize to you. I am
sorry for the way I will correct America’s future generations when they say “sorry”
by explaining to them that they need to own their mistake.
Actually, no, I’m not sorry.
I’m sorry that I didn’t
write this sooner.
Carry on!
~Anne Taylor
No comments:
Post a Comment