By Dr James Dobson
Have you ever found the courage to say “I’m sorry” to a child? It’s a tough thing to do and, frankly, my father never was very good at it.
I remember working with him one day in the backyard when I was 15, on a day when he was particularly irritable. He picked on me for everything I did, even when I hurried.
Finally, he yelled at me for something I considered petty, and I just threw down the rake and quit. I walked off, and I walked across our property and down the street while my dad demanded that I come back.
It was one of the few times that I ever took him on like that. I meandered around town for a while wondering what would happen when I got home and ended up at my cousin’s house on the other side of town. After several hours, with knees shaking, I called home. “Stay there,” said my dad, “I’m coming over.”
To say that I was nervous would be a gross understatement. In a short time, dad arrived and asked to see me alone. “Beau,” he began, “I didn’t treat you right this afternoon. I was riding your back for no good reason, and I want you to know I’m sorry.”
It was a difficult moment for him, but he made a friend for life, and taught me something about apologising that would be very useful to me someday as a father.
From TODAY, Voices – Thursday, 14-May-2009
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