We all know that apologizing can be one of the most difficult, yet helpful things we can do in our relationships with friends, loved ones, and colleagues. Take these two contrasting perspectives as an example of the paradoxical nature of the simple art of apology:

“Faultless to a fault.” —Robert Browning, The Ring and the Book.

“Never apologize and never explain—it’s a sign of weakness.” –John Wayne in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.

My goodness! Here we have the poet Robert Browning suggesting t...