When Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
Apologies matter more than you might think and their absence can be a red flag in a relationship
Warning: this article contains a brief account of a domestic assault.
Fearless community, please read with care.
Sophie is a close friend of mine whose name I have changed. She has given me permission to write her story.
Background
Sophie had been with her husband for fifteen years when their marriage broke down. They’d had their ups and downs over the years, like most couples, but both had believed they would be together for the rest of their lives. Earlier this year — for various reasons to do with lockdown, children, and a final straw that broke the camel’s back — that all changed. Sophie told her husband that she wanted them to separate.
He took it badly. Lots of tears were shed and at one point he threatened to kill himself. The first few days were dreadful for both of them and their teenage son but after a few weeks, the situation stabilised. As lockdown eased a little, her husband went to stay with another family member for three weeks while their home was being sold. When he came back to start packing up possessions, tensions rose again. The couple hadn’t been in the house…
