Dear Jude: Apologize

Dear Jude, regarding apologies: they are inevitable. I know you’ll be hearing a lot on when or how or why to apologize- even whether or not you should do it at all. Do it. As for when and how and why, apologize when you are wrong; apologize when pride isn’t worth the loss of or strain on a relationship of any kind; apologize when it’s the RIGHT thing to do; do it as quickly as possible, as sincerely as possible and do it independent of the outcome. It takes a brave person to make the first move of any sort, and a humble one to do so at cost to their ego. Now once you’ve apologized from that genuine place, I’m afraid your part is over. Never apologize to MAKE someone forgive you; apologize to ALLOW them to do so more easily. They may forgive, they may not. That is secondary. Primary must always be your response to your inner compass, placed there by God, and reinforced by your mama.