We've all heard the song "Apologize" by OneRepublic. It's a classic song, great to blast after a breakup or a friend betrays you, and made a fantastic scene in season 1 of "Gossip Girl." The lyrics say, "It's too late to apologize," but do those words necessarily ring true? Is it ever really too late to apologize for your wrongdoings and mistakes? Yes, some people do things that are deemed unforgivable, but if you're the type of person to hold a grudge, an apology will make you feel better, even if it doesn't clean the slate entirely. Just knowing that the person who wronged you feels bad at some point is a great feeling.
I'm personally a fan of clean slates. I hate being mad at people or having people be mad at me. I have held grudges myself, some for a very long period of time, but eventually, I need to just let it go to better my happiness. I have apologized for my own mistakes many times, no matter how bad they were. In high school, I had gotten into a huge fight with a friend and it ultimately ruined our friendship. I didn't speak to her for months and then, months later, she apologized. At the time, I refused to accept it because the damage was done and there was no going back. For the next year, she continued to be the bigger person and reach out to me, yet I continued to take the low road and give her the minimal answer necessary. Senior year, I went on a retreat and I realized how petty I was being, that I should give her another chance. Obviously, things were never going to be the same as they were when we were freshmen, but I would preferred that she and I go through the rest of our final year of high school with good vibes and a clean slate. So eventually, I apologized for never letting her back into my life and I was right—we weren't suddenly best friends again, but there were no more hard feelings between us, and we were able to be friends again.
This wasn't a one-time experience though—I've had multiple experiences since coming to college, where apologizing for mistakes has led to better things. I've apologized to people for my mistakes, things that have plagued my mind for a few months or over a year that I just needed to clear the air about. I've also been apologized to by someone for an incident that happened over a year before. Coming from both sides, I can honestly say that it's always worth it to apologize. It's not about getting closure with someone, although that is nice, but rather ridding your life of all the bad vibes that have surrounded your life. Yes, things will never be the same again and if they are, I'm sincerely happy for you. Just knowing that you're no longer on bad terms with someone is one of the greatest feelings in the world. It's hard to apologize, but I promise you, once you do, you won't regret it.
As for OneRepublic, you guys made a great song and I will still listen to it all the time, especially when I am going through a fight or breakup, but you are wrong. It's never too late to apologize.
