Apologizing and Saying Sorry.. Do it when you did it..

I liked this article by Oprah on cnn...(This is the first time I read anything by her!)

The article is titled and can be read at: Always apologize, always explain

A few excerpts:
"The perfect moment to apologize is the moment you realize you've done something wrong.

This seems obvious when we're contemplating somebody else's sins, but in the harsh light of our own guilt, we often try to protect ourselves from shame or censure by waiting for the heat to blow over. We may try to postpone apologizing or avoid it altogether by lying, blaming others, making excuses or justifying our actions. The impulse to go into such a stall is a big ol' signal."

'An effective apology is, as Lazare puts it, "an act of honesty, an act of humility, an act of commitment, an act of generosity, and an act of courage." '

To be effective, most apologies need to contain the following elements:

1. Full acknowledgment of the offense
"If you've broken your own rules, you're in the wrong. Accept responsibility."

2. An explanation
"Explanations help you and your victim understand why you misbehaved and assure both of you that the offense won't recur. Excuses merely deflect responsibility. Leave them out of your apology."

3. Genuine expression of remorse
"Few things are less likely to evoke forgiveness than apology without remorse."

4. Reparations for damage
The final gallant act of apology is to release your former victim from any expectation of forgiveness. No matter how noble you have been, he will forgive -- or refuse to forgive -- on his own terms. That is his right.