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Being Right Means being Able to apologize

Yeah, I’ve had this same conversation

A few weeks ago, I posted about maintaining family traditions around the holidays. I didn’t say there was no room for change, but I did mention conversations held with my son.

He responded to the post (which you can read here) by saying he felt he had been misrepresented. I made him look bad.

My niece, who had been privy to one such conversation about traditions, said I reported things as they actually happened. If he felt the truth made him look bad, then my son should consider that a mirror and change accordingly.

Realize these are my summations and interpretations of the postings. They can be seen on Facebook, if you want to read them in black and white.

I want to apologize for any misrepresentation of my son. He is a great, opinionated man with strong convictions. I don’t want him to change. I admire the man he has become.

However, as a man, he does seem to possess the flaw that many of the male persuasion fall prey to: the inability to admit it when they’re wrong.

I’m not saying women don’t fall into this trap. Some do. Not me. I’m so excited when I’m right that it paints a smile on my face for the entire day. I capitulate when I’m wrong (at least I vocally admit my error).

After all, arguing rarely changes anything. It makes people mad and causes tension. I’ll pass, thank you very much.

I didn’t mean to make my son look bad, so for that I apologize. The fact that he commented on the post at all means he understands the truth of the matter. I’ll accept that as his “I was wrong” admission.

We have to take these small victories where we find them.

Have you ever apologized when you were in the right? I’d love to commiserate with you about this seeming contradiction in the realm of truth and justice.

 

3 thoughts on “Being Right Means being Able to apologize”

  1. My hubby rarely apologizes for anything he does or says that’s wrong yet he expects everyone else to apologize for their mistakes. Even then, he complains about the apology because he thinks everyone who says they’re sorry thinks that’s all it takes to ‘apologize’. The hypocrisy drives me batty. I am like you, however, in that I apologize all the time, even for stuff that I didn’t do. Someone has a bad day? I say “I’m sorry” as if I have any control over their day.

    1. It’s sad that our society views apologizing as a sign of weakness. Yeah, because there’s a person who’s never wrong. Nope. But they won’t admit their error by apologizing.
      I think heartfelt apologies are getting harder to give and receive. Even in public schools, kids are forced to apologize for their behavior when they get in trouble, but they don’t really mean it. Should we make them? You know the “fake it ’til you make it” mentality? Or does this just teach them to be insincere?
      Personally, I believe the teaching needs to come younger and at home. Only a person’s character will determine if they mean an apology and character-building is a job for families.
      Perplexing, to say the least.

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