Today I would like to discuss the phrase "The best of intentions". It's meaning is based upon its context. In my pondering of the phrase I figured out the only way it should ever be used is as a warning.
Example: Are your intentions honorable? This is a civil way of warning someone that you have your eye on them.
If someone uses this phrase during an apology it nullifies the apology. An apology is you feeling remorse for your actions and saying so in a direct humble manner.
So if you apologize and then add anything to it, you nullify the apology.
Example: I'm sorry I killed your family, but they really pissed me off.
So, "I'm sorry I killed your family, but I had the best of intentions." Kinda rings false.
Intentions after the fact are meaningless. If anyone tells you different... They are selling something....
4 comments:
The road to hell...
I've got a similar gripe with the phrase "I did the best I could do" Really?? You can't hink of any way you could have improved your performance? I can list 10 ways I could have been a better parent today. 12 ways I could have been a better husband. 2 ways I could have made dinner better. This comment, though, was in fact the best I could do....
Inner peace through lowered expectations!
I the words of the great philosopher Emo Phillips:
"Probably the toughest time in anyone's life is when you have to murder a loved one
because they're the devil.
Other than that though,
it's been a good day"
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