Alongside the enjoyment, there have been a lot of reflections on don’t-judge-a-book-by-its-cover Susan Boyle.
We can now add to that, after her performance on Sunday, Simon Cowell apologising to Susan,
You know what, I just want to apologise because of the way we treated you before you sang the first time. You made me and everyone else look very stupid and I’m very happy for you, very proud for you.
Apologising is (too) often seen as a sign of weakness. Actually it is a sign of inner strength. As is accepting an apology without diminishing the person who apologises. Many (most?) services include saying “sorry” – it may be in a confession and absolution, it may be in the form of the Lord’s Prayer, where “forgive us” is said with the confidence of a preciously loved child.
I see what you mean about apologising being a sign of inner strength – in the UK, our Prime Minister was weakened by refusing to apologise for various things until circumstances forced him to.
I have only one problem with this. You should have interjected the importance of sincerity in the apology. I am in Ireland, where many have heard apology after apology for brutal abuse and sexual terrorism. My own husband falls in the first category. To most of the injured, an apology must be backed with sincerity to validate it. Apologies have been submitted by bishops, religious and priests but the problems were still being covered up. There appears to be a disconnect in our era regarding apology and intent to correct.
When an apology has the validation of correction in action, people can trust the penitent individual (or group) in order to continue the dialog. I have seen first hand that the intent part is still missing, at this is where an apology becomes detrimental.
But what do I know? I am merely a woman. (I really like that phrase. Gets me off the hook for a lot of stuff.)