My apologies...

Fast-paced - This is how we live our lives today. As new technological innovations spring about, a new need, a new want, arises. Then we get caught up in a web of chasing all our wants. But even just when you're trying to provide for your needs, you still get caught up in the web of busy-ness and trying to make ends meet. You try to juggle 2, or 3 jobs at a time, you're trying to do more work than you possibly can --- all for the pursuit of happiness, and survival.

The more that you get chased in this "chasing after the wind" lifestyle, the thinner your patience is. You're so tired and busy and stressed out, every comment seems like a criticism to you, each look an insult, and each sound noise. You can't bear people complaining, people with loud voices, your patience is just running very thin.

And this is where I'm at right now.

Just today at work, a colleague was whining and complaining about not being able to get reimbursement that he has requested for 2 weeks. The person in charge of this has been with him back and forth because he has not accomplished the proper requisition forms to be able to put forth such a request. His contention is that he should have been contacted on his phone, and not wait for him to be at the office before informing him of this (and on this note, I agree with him).

To cut the long story short, I was the one who carried the brunt of his whining and complaining, which rattled me, but at the same time, ticked me off. I'm just so tired of everything, and the last thing I need is a grown person whining and complaining to me.

I go back to my room and try to shake it off - the feeling of resentment for the person. I do understand that his attack was not towards me, but he was just venting out his emotions, just as much as a friend shares to another.

I have already settled down, but the person goes ahead and enters my room, and apologizes to me - for having vented out his anger at me. He goes to say that he was just really disappointed that it had taken long, and I do understand that. I had a huge sigh of relief the moment the person apologized - not that I was still holding any feelings of resentment - but the apology made me feel much better.

The important thing about this is that the person went out of the way to apologize. I do recognize it was not at me that this person was disappointed at, but still, for the inconvenience of having to absorb his disappointments, he said sorry.

I really don't like this colleague of mine that much, but this level of sensitivity I do admire. For us humans, because of our pride, it becomes very hard to apologize - even when an apology is appropriate, even when we are at fault, even when we've hurt people badly. All the more it is difficult to apologize when we feel that we did not do anything wrong.

It would be such a nice world to live in if people are sensitive enough not to inconvenince other people in any way. But it wouldn't be realistic. It might be a bit more realistic and probably about as nice a world to live in, though, if people do apologize for the inconvenience they cause others. I know this is very hard to do, but why don't you try it? Or you can go ahead and start small...let your pride down and say sorry to the people who really do deserve it - to the people whom you've really hurt badly, to the people you've been rude to.

For anyone reading this, I wanted to ask you these questions:

Who are the people that you've hurt, and have not apologized to?
Who are the people that you've hurt and you know they deserved your apology but you chose not to give it?
Who do you think are the people that you inconveniently bother the most, especially those who have not said a word about it?

To all the people that I've hurt intentionally or unintentionally, and have bothered with or without my knowledge, I apologize, and I hope you would find it in your hearts to forgive me.

"You will always harvest what you plant...So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up. Therefore, when we have the opportunity, do good to everyone - especially to those in the family of faith." Galatians 6:7; 9-10 NLT