Hello Mi Neighbour | Saying 'I'm sorry' demonstrates strength

Hello mi neighbour! No one says it's easy to say 'I'm sorry' but it's an easy path to peace and reconciliation in the human family perpetually saddled with limitations and imperfections.

Like it or not, circum-stances beyond our control dictate that this two-word sentence be frequently used in our daily interactions. I'm so tired of apologising to Mrs C. Phew! Not to apologise for the discomfort we cause a neighbour through no fault of theirs could have serious implications for ourselves and those who come after. Something to think about.

A gentleman was standing immediately behind a door when another pushed it to enter same space. The one who entered wanted to know (without apology) "why you have to stand so close to the door when yuh know that it open on the inside?" The other wanted to know if "yuh never si me and why you have to push the door so hard" No answers. As tempers and nostrils flared, a police officer intervened, and so did peace and reason. Like the last chapter of a good book, both men apologised to each other in the end. Better yet, they were relatives who had not seen each other in a long time!

To say 'I'm sorry' demonstrates strength and commonsense. It indicates that the apologiser is also aware of the rights of others. An important right of all humanity is to feel pain and to show it. He also has a right to remedy for this pain. It means, therefore, that if you hurt my feelings and 'sorry' is the remedy required to ease the pain, I have a right to expect it from you. Is this applicable to the real world?

 

LIVES CUT SHORT

 

In the real world the toughest and the fittest survive - their lives are also cut short. Many of those fights and fatalities which occur in the real world on a daily basis could have been easily averted had a second thought been taken, consequences thought through and apologies made!

Certainly, "sorry" is not a fix all. No matter how many apologies one may offer for stepping on a neighbour's toe at times, the outcome is still negative. But one must always endeavour to do what's correct. Right will always win more respect than anything else. Respect cannot be bought, sold or demanded! It is commanded through appropriate and respectable behaviours.

For best results, we must always endeavour to cross all the "T's" and dot the "I's" but in the real world where imperfections rule and speed counts, we will invariably miss some steps. If we are wrong, let's be strong enough to admit to our weaknesses and say "I'm sorry" with a willingness to learn from our mistakes.

If I did not succeed in inspiring appropriate behaviours in my readers this week, I'm sorry.

If you help someone from list below, you'll have no regrets.

Much peace.

 

THANKS FOR HELPING YOUR NEIGHBOURS

 

- Sister Nelson, St Catherine, offering a crib.

- Yolanda, offering a wheelchair and adult pampers.

- Sister Butler, Kingston, for offering a sewing machine to a neighbour.

- Howard, for offering to make a bed for the neighbour who needs one.

 

OPPORTUNITIES FOR HELPING

 

- Neighbour - Mother of three have nothing for children to eat or drink. Their father died in January 2017. Life is very hard.

- Neighbour - St Catherine grandmother, needs help to send granddaughter to school - passed for St Andrew High and would really appreciate some help to secure her future.

- Millicent - elderly, asking for a large print Bible, a stove and television.

- Elaine - Kingston, asking for a table-model sewing machine.

- Enid - St Ann, senior citizen, badly in need of a mattress, longing to get a good night's rest

- Judith - Kingston, daughter who was born blind about to enter college and in need of a Mac computer specially designed for the visually challenged.

- To help, please call Silton Townsend @ 334-8165, 884-3866, or deposit to acct # 351 044 276 NCB. (Bank routing #: JNCBJMKX) or send donations to HELLO NEIGHBOUR C/o 53 Half Way Tree Road, Kingston 10; Paypal/credit card: email: zicron22@yahoo.com. Or contact e-mail helloneighbour@yahoo.com