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SCMP Reporter

There is a song called Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word. It explains how difficult it can be to apologise for doing something wrong, or letting someone down, even if we feel guilty. 
Saying 'Sorry' sincerely is the most effective way to gain forgiveness. So why do we find it so difficult? It's just another way of being polite,  which is something we should do at all times.
After finding the nerve to say sorry, I think it's important to talk about the issue you apologised for. Then future arguments and conflicts can be avoided.
Rachel Au, SKH Lam Woo Memorial Secondary School
From the Editor
Thank you for your letter, Rachel. So often a conflict between friends could be resolved if one person would just own up  to their part in the argument. The world would be a far more pleasant place if people admitted when they had made a mistake.
But a completely different problem  is that apologies are uttered insincerely far too often. When we bump into someone on the street, we may automatically say 'sorry', but it's rare that we actually mean it.
If we really thought about what went through our mind when we hurt someone else's feelings, we'd be less likely to repeat it.  And if we seriously considered the true meaning and power of an apology, we'd save it for when we really needed to use it - and we'd really mean it when we said it.
Karly, Sub-editor



Hard to say you're sorry