One of the most difficult of words in the English language neither a bombastic word nor a difficult word to spell. In fact it is a word that seems to be the hardest thing to flow out of anyone’s mouth…no matter what the age (from a young rebellious child to a hardened 80 year old man!). It is the word ‘Sorry’. Even Billy Joel seems to agree with that statement through one of his best selling songs.
‘Sorry’…can also be said in many ways, ’soooo soorry’ (sarcastically) to ‘SORRY’ (in anger) to ‘sorry’ (what dear? I can’t quite hear what you said…). A lot of times, the word sorry gets stuck in between the desire to be Right to the fear of being Wrong and with a twist of deceit of wanting to keep our Pride (and sometimes Face, too). Yes, we ego-centric people living in this modern microwave society are tongue-tied and bashful to say the least, to admit that it was actually ‘my fault’.
What brave souls of the past, I remember watching a golden favorite, “To Kill a Mockingbird” where the main character (an African man) was accused for a crime that he did not commit. I loved his character…so humble, so gentle and without pride (but faced with tons of prejudice)…and you could see that at one point, he even considered taking on the punishment for a crime he did not commit (which made me think that he was willing to say a Silent Sorry for it).
What makes us hold on to our Pride (even when we are wrong and ought to apologize)? I believe it could be a many things from our past and the environment we grew up to the influences we open ourselves to through the years to the all the “standing for our Rights” movement. We all grew up rebelling in a form or other. Turn on the News today and you can see the same things that plagued Bible times…Sin, Lust, Greed, Jealousy, Anger and Pride.
I have through the years, mellowed from a very hot and short tempered man to an almost even tempered and sometimes sliding to the mild tempered side. I could say I have matured, but I like to believe that I have CHOSEN to CHANGE. I saw the pain I personally put my loved ones through the many years and decided that I have to begin to QUIT IT. Yes…time has been the testimony of the changes I have made…I never gave up but most of all, the people who loved me, did NOT Give Up on me! (that was probably my saving Grace).
In the Name of LOVE…the Love I have for my God, the Love I have for my Wife and Family…I made a shift and after many encounters with the dark-side of reality…I finally see the light and I am truly Blessed and Happy about the Journey…in which I am still learning from…each and every day.
Where are you at today? I urge you to Choose Life and take the Stand to walk away from Pride…the beauty of your decision will become a Flower blossoming into your Destiny.
