Going through life, many occurrences teach us lessons. We make mistakes and hurt others with or without intending to. We do things we are not proud of. We upset people close to us. This is because we are human. Our perceptions are subjective and often selfish.  This is how we are wired.

Many people I have come across find it very difficult to apologise for hurting someone else’s feelings. This is normal. It takes guts and courage to say ‘sorry’ to another person. We teach our children to respect other people’s feelings yet often fail at it ourselves. It is as if we feel that apologising to another lowers our personal standing in other people’s eyes.

There is also a group of people who, in their mind, are always right regardless of the scenario. This is the pinnacle of human selfishness. These people never apologise or see another point of view.  Unfortunately for them, a day will come when they have burnt all their bridges and they have found themselves totally isolated from family and friends.

My personal belief is that if you are human, then you cannot possibly be always right. You, like billions of others, have wronged someone at some point and therefore an apology is an order.

Many believe that a key to a happier life is acknowledging our wrongs, attempting to make them right and learning from our mistakes.  Often it may be too late for an apology and it is something you may have to live with. But without such acknowledgement, you cannot grow as a person, move forward with your life and give closure to the other person who feels betrayed / wronged / taken advantage of etc. Even if anything you bring forward is rejected, it is definitely worth your while.

Circumstances often make it impossible to apologise to someone in a timely fashion. However, with time, opportunities will present themselves when you can find a way to reach out and relay how you feel. Even if all you get back consists of nasty and unpleasant comments, it is definitely worth the hassle.

Like every other human, I have done things I am not proud of and upset people who cared for me. Would I have done those things if I had to relive my life – definitely not. But I live with no regrets and the mistakes of the past have molded me into the person that I am today.  As for apologising, usually I am the first to admit when I am wrong.  However, in some situations it is not an easy task.

I take this opportunity to sincerely apologise to those who I have hurt in any way and have not had a chance to express my deep regret in person.  You know who you are.

So think about anyone who you may have wronged in the past. Today may be the day when you swallow your pride and apologise.  Do it not because you are dying or as part of some rehabilitation program. Do it because it is the right thing to do.