Know that although in the eternal scheme of things you are small, you are also unique and irreplaceable, as are all your fellow humans everywhere in the world.
Margaret LaurenceRead
In some families, please is described as the magic word. In our house, however, it was sorry.
Interpretation
What this quote means
In this quote, 'sorry' holds greater significance in the family's interactions than 'please'.
Margaret Laurence's quote highlights the importance of acknowledging mistakes and taking responsibility within familial relationships. Rather than just being polite with words like 'please', the emphasis on 'sorry' suggests that in her family, owning up to faults and expressing genuine remorse were key to maintaining strong bonds and fostering an environment of understanding and forgiveness.
Themes
FamilyApologyForgivenessRelationshipsCommunication
In practice
Example use cases
During a family gathering, someone might reflect on past disagreements and quote this to emphasize the importance of apologies.
More from Margaret Laurence
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I am fooling only myself when I say that my mother exists now only in the photographs on my bulletin board or in the outline of my hand or in the armful of memories I still hold tight. She lives on beneath everything I do. Her presence influenced who I was and her absence influences who I am. Our lives are shaped as much by those who leave us as they are by those who stay. Loss is our legacy. Insight is our gift. Memory is our guide.
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My dad was an absentee dad, so it was always important to me that I was part of my daughter's life, and she deserved two parents, which is part of the rationale behind us staying married for 30 years.
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My kids are the most inspiring thing that pushes me. It used to be because they were born, and I had to take care of them. Now it's because my son raps, and he's better than me. So now I gotta keep up with him, you know what I'm saying?
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Few things make the life of a parent more rewarding and sweet as successful children.
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