Apology sends the clearest signal that we have the strength of character to reconcile ourselves with the truth.

The purpose of apology is to extend ourselves in such a way that relationships become deeper, and life becomes richer and more human in the process.

Apology may be scorned, but it retains its inherent value.

Apology may start as a feeling, a desire to make matters right, but it requires a commitment to move that desire into practice, to actually take on the great courageous task of showing compassion to others.

"I would like to apologize" may sound like an apology, but it is no more an actual apology than saying "I would like to lose weight" makes you suddenly slimmer.

We value apology in the abstract, but turn our backs on it in practice.

One of the most useful tasks of apology is to bring home to us how keenly, honestly, and painfully past generations pursued aims that now seem to us wrong and disgraceful. It behooves us to consider if future geenrations will similarly regard the aims we most defend today.