An apology. A genuine, heartfelt apology. An apology so unexpected. An apology so untypical. An apology spoken with a soft voice. Cracked, fissures filled with gulps of honesty and hope.
I didn’t realize how much I needed it, until it came.
How my heart needed it.
We often don’t even realize how a grievance has the potential to infiltrate all parts of our being. How the wrong of another, flows in and around. Settling on us, gradually over time.
The arrival of this apology could not have been timed better. It was the lift I needed, right when I needed it. An affirmation that my kindness was not overlooked. It was seen. And it mattered. And they were sorry for the pain they inflicted by their actions. Claiming what was theirs.
And with those few gentle words spoken, my heart returned to its rightful place of empathy and compassion. The darkened heaviness that was starting to settle and infiltrate my being, was lifted. The space that remained was pure and worthy.
My lungs released the breath that I had been unknowingly holding since the first act of grievance.
An apology is an act of kindness. It releases both parties from the burden of carrying the weight of the grievance. Our mind may say we don’t need it, as we carry on. Our heart says otherwise. As we continue the act of carrying on, a gradual battle between the two has been our internal war. Every day of the battle our sense of self is weakened. Unclaimed grievances infiltrate. They settle and claim their own space on our being. It’s subtle. Always subtle. Mistaking its subtly as lack of influence only serves to give it more strength as the internal war rages on.
Until one day, the apology comes, and the release happens. And every fiber of your being feels it. Lungs fill to capacity. Spine straightening. You stand in your true form once again.
Your heart, pure and worthy.
And you rebuild. Stronger. More guarded perhaps. But stronger.
Stronger because of the brokenness you endured. Stronger because despite it all, your heart remains kind and compassionate.
A genuine apology is a gift. A beautiful gift, wrapped in kindness. For each other. For ourselves.
Our mind and heart.
At peace.
Pure and worthy.
Once again.
With gratitude,
Nicole Osmond
Customer Success CoachAs a Customer Success Coach and 3 X business owner, I am living my passion and helping companies succeed by cultivating a customer committed mindset.
A Writer with Heart – I weave words together to stimulate, elevate, and motivate. My blog is my canvas to share my ‘experience nuggets’ with you! Thanks for stopping by! With gratitude, always – Nicole
Truer words have never been said. Sadly, there are times when an apology will never come and the wound repeatedly will be opened over the years until one day it gets twisted that the person who deserves the apology is the cause of problems they never knew existed. I am so happy you received your much-needed apology. Simple words of “I’m truly sorry for the hurt I caused you” are freeing for both the giver and the receiver. XO
Thank you, Lisa. So true my friend. This apology was so unexpected, but so needed. It was amazing the weight that lifted once she spoke the words. For me, and for her too I suspect. Xo
What loving energy flowed here and how loving that you weren’t expecting it. The extra pain we can cause ourselves when we’re holding out for an apology is so sharp. Your loving heart flowed love to you. <3 Xx <3
Thank you so much, Jane. It was an apology that I never thought I would hear, but something I obviously needed. Hugs, Nicole Xo
<3 Nicole. Xx