The Simple Kindergarten Etiquette

The good old days can bring many meanings to different people, but to me they are the times spent in the heat of the sun, simply playing in a box of sand with my best buddies. The days when you would get into an argument about which color was better: blue or purple? And easily enough just turn around and say I am sorry, and just like magic the fight was over and you were right back to building sand castles. The simple apology was powerful enough to end you biggest debates and even today, it should still have a big impact on people.

Those vivid memories were all that I needed to develop what I believe in, that of saying sorry. Why can’t you just move on free from grudges and all the pitiful issues that you constantly endure and just go back to the way things were, to make you happy? Even today I still believe that when you receive, or even give, an apology you shouldn’t take it for granted. You should be grateful that someone cares about you that deeply to admit their wrongs and you should ultimately take it to heart and get over it. That’s all, I believe in the act of saying sorry.

Sure, sometimes the problem is a lot worse than, “Hey mom! Ryan took my toy!”, but in most cases, the person who isn’t at fault will just ignore the apology because they feel that it isn’t good enough. It has taken me many years of drama and problems with people to come to an understanding of why saying sorry should be enough. Here it goes: grudges aren’t healthy, and if someone takes the time to win you back by saying those simple words and be consistent about it, you should get over the issue because it will make both people’s lives happier. Plus without that added stress you will be healthier. Overall, teach yourself to dance in the rain.

Over the summer, I had made a new friend. We talked almost every day and became very close, but as school came closer it strained my relationship with him because we both got busier. I refused to talk to him for a reason that is still uncertain to me, but when he tried to convince me otherwise I ignored him. After a few days of not talking to him, I realized that I missed him and was just being stupid about the whole thing, so I started talking to him again. I apologized using the simple kindergarten way, but it wasn’t enough for him. I doubted my way of dealing with the problem, but the more I think about it, I wonder if he actually knew that I cared. Not to blame this particular person for this mess, because I know I have made this practical mistake before too. In all seriousness, I wish I could just go back to the way things were with him, but it has become too problematic because he moved on and I must let go, but I did say I was sorry and that was good enough for me and enough reason to progress with my life because I admitted my wrongs to him.

I have also been in the other place before, the place when people came to me and tell me that they are sorry, and I am that person who doesn’t take the three words to heart. A few years ago, a good friend of mine and I got into a fight over a silly boy. We were still young and immature at the time so we let our school yard crushes get in the way of our big-time friendship. She went on dates, with the guy I liked and that was enough for me to call it quits on her. Did I not say I was immature? Anyways, after many weeks of my refusal to talk to her, I realized the meaning behind her apology. She would txt me and even called me upset and crying to tell me that she was truly sorry. Then I was too bitter and upset to realize that she was sorry, and that she was doing it because she cared how I felt, and with that she was determined to make it better. So we did eventually get over our problems and I thank that simple apology she gave and my understanding of that apology, because we wouldn’t be the closet of friends today and I don’t know what I could have done without her.

Saying sorry has influenced my life in many ways. I truly believe that without that kindergarten etiquette my life-and a lot of other people’s lives-would be missing that feeling that someone cares about you, and knowing that someone cares makes the world spin like it should. I try to live by that basis everyday because I know how good it feels, and I want the people I know and care about to feel that feeling too. If I screw up on one of my many relationships with family, friends, and even acquaintances, I know that if I admit my faults to them I will grow in personality traits as well as taking one more step to heal that wound. Also, if someone close to me says that they are sorry, brush off the dust and learn that they care, and just return the favor.