I learned a couple of valuable lessons this week: first, using the word “sorry” is a Canadian birthright; second, I don’t have to use it to prove my citizenship, or anything else for that matter. Now that I’ve stated my premise, let me explain.
Brothers Will and Ian Ferguson have written a number of books on how to be a real Canadian. Twelve Ways to Say I’m Sorry is one of them. Not only do I love this quote, I’ve lived by it since childhood: “For a true Canadian, the opportunities for saying ‘I'm sorry’ are endless, but there is one uniquely Canadian ‘sorry’: the one you use when someone else steps on your foot.” If you live north of the 49th you know what I’m talking about.
I blame my Mom. While making breakfast early one morning, the fridge door failed to close and she banged into it. With emotion dripping from her voice, she turned and declared: “Oh, I am SO sorry”. So you still wonder where I picked up the habit?
Recently two dear friends declared war on my incessant apologizing. That valiant deed, combined with an earlier incident that had ramped up my sense of worth, got me going in the right direction once more. Not more doormatting for me!
Those actions haven’t made me a better (or worse) Canuck but they’ve helped me reduce “sorry” to an appropriately Canadian level of usage while reminding myself that God not only loves me, He likes me! I suspect that some of you, my readers, might also struggle with the deflation that life can bring. God longs to tell you how highly He values you … just ask Him.
“My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord because He has dealt bountifully with me.” Psalm 13:5, 6
No apologies there.
