Monday Manners: Apologia

This week's Monday Manners will be a quick one, but that doesn't make it unimportant. In fact, I'm surprised it hasn't been covered yet. (Or at least, if it has, I cannot for the life of me find it.) The simple theme is this: if you screw up, say you're sorry.

Admitting to a mistake is sometimes hard. It's often embarrassing. But unless you want to burn some serious bridges, it's essential, no matter how small the matter seems at the time. Accidentally step on somebody's foot getting off the bus? Say you're sorry. Don't know the directions from Center City to Paoli by car? Apologize and suggest SEPTA. Bump into someone carrying an armful of papers, which then go flying? Stop walking, help pick them up, and be sure to call yourself a clumsy asshole. (Self-deprecation is a good indirect form of apology.) Hurt the feelings of someone you really care about? You'd damn well better make sure that s/he knows how bad you feel about doing so. Even if you don't feel that you need to apologize for what you said or did, you can still apologize for the consequences of your action. You didn't mean to be hurtful, now did you?

Of course you didn't. Go say you're sorry.

Image Credit: Flickr user spud murphy