Building Detachment

I'm Sorry doesn't mean it didn't happen. It means that you both acknowledge something DID happen and that the person who is apologizing recognizes that they handled the situation poorly. Accepting an apology doesn't mean that you will forget what happened. It just means that you also acknowledge something happened and that the person feels remorse. There is an understood statement behind it of "We will both do all in our power to make sure this doesn't happen again." When the act is repeated numerous times the "I'm Sorry" becomes less effective and starts to become mearly a detachment from the act. It hurts when, what sounds like a true, well-meaning apology, feels less real over time, even if you know it was given with the best of meaning and intentions. It just stops feeling like "I'm Sorry, it won't happen again." and more like "I'm Sorry...again." People sometimes seem to forget that...and it seems to be a valuable thing to remember.