The absence of apology has consequences far beyond households.
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They say time heals, but sometimes it is not time, it is just one word that can heal everything. A simple “sorry”. Not the heavy, scripted apologies, but the quiet acknowledgement of hurt, the recognition of another’s pain. A sorry that does not come from weakness, but from courage.
In the courtroom of daily life, silence often becomes the harshest judgment. Families split, friendships dissolve, colleagues turn strangers, all because pride outweighs apology. I too once carried the weight of a broken friendship. A small misunderstanding with my closest friend, the one who had been beside me since my very first day of school, grew into silence that neither of us broke. Time did not melt the anger; it built walls. And then he was gone from this world, leaving me with the burden of an ego that outlived the friendship. It was not the mistake, but the missing “sorry” that kept us apart.
Our culture teaches us resilience, but rarely does it teach us reconciliation. Even in many households, traditions quietly dictate that in a quarrel between husband and wife, the one who apologises first will remain submissive for life. Children fear telling their mistakes, afraid that neither their words nor their confrontation will be accepted. And so, the courage to apologise dies before it can ever take root.
Yet, in the larger canvas of society, the absence of apology has consequences far beyond households. Governments too hesitate to say sorry for delayed justice, broken promises, and communities that feel unseen. Instead, paperwork, commissions, and new committees are offered as substitutes. But citizens do not crave endless documentation of errors; they long for acknowledgement, for empathy.
An apology does not undo the past, but it disarms bitterness. It does not erase the scar, but it prevents the wound from festering. Whether in personal relationships or public life, “sorry” is not just a word, it is a bridge. Bridges do not demand surrender; they invite crossing over.
What do we really lose when we apologise? A fraction of our pride, perhaps. But what do we gain? Trust, warmth, the ability to look someone in the eye without the shadow of what went unsaid. In a time when technology connects us more than ever, it is tragic that our hearts remain divided, waiting for words that never arrive.
Maybe it is time we reimagined strength, not as standing unbent, but as bending when needed. Maybe true progress is not in how fast we build, but how gently we repair. And maybe, just maybe, a sorry could have solved everything.
sanjeev.kumar40231@gmail.com
Published – October 05, 2025 03:25 am IST
