No one is too important to say 

“I’m sorry.” 

We’re in the grocery store, pushing our shopping cart around the end of the aisle when we suddenly come face to face with another person doing the same thing. Narrowly avoiding a collision, we both smile, murmur “Sorry!”, and good-naturedly negotiate around each other.

See how easy it is?

When we’re not captivated by thoughts of self-importance, we can freely act like civil human beings.

Why can’t this happen all the time?

Is it because apologizing to someone who is less influential or wealthy would be demeaning? And so Mr. All-important doesn’t consider it necessary to apologize, for anything. How sad. Too often, people prance around with inflated egos due to their current good fortune, which they incorrectly credit to being more clever than others. No one is so important that he doesn’t need to apologize for uncivil behavior.

Better to say “I’m sorry” now than be sorry in the future when our past arrogance and misdeeds catch up with us.