Passage 7

It's never easy to admit you are in the wrong. Being human, we all need to know the art of apologizing. Look back with honesty and think how often you've judged roughly, said __1__ things, pushed yourself ahead at the expense of a friend. Then count the　occasions when you indicated clearly and __2__ that you were sorry. A bit frightening, isn't it? Frightening because some deep wisdom in us knows that when even a small wrong has been committed, some mysterious moral feeling is __3__, and it stays out of balance until fault is acknowledged and __4__ is expressed.

I remember a doctor friend, telling me about a man who came to him with a variety of signs: headaches, insomnia and stomach trouble. No __5__ cause could be found. Finally my friend said to the man, "Unless you tell me what's worrying you, I can't help you." After some hesitation, the man __6__ that, as executor of his faher's will, he had been cheating his brother, who lived abroad, of his __7__. Then and there the wise old doctor made the man write to his brother asking __8__ and enclosing a cheque as the first step in restoring their good relation. He then went with him to mail box in the corridor. As the letter disappeared, the man burst into tears. "Thank you," He said, "I think I'm __9__." And he was.

A heartfelt apology can not only __10__ a damaged relationship but also make it stronger. If you can think of someone who deserves an apology from you, someone you have wronged, or just neglected, do something about it right now.