That’s right, according to author and marriage counselor, Dr. Gary Chapman, there are five languages of apology. Research indicates that satisfy­ing apolo­gies are quite different for different people.
     An acceptable apology for you might not work for your spouse. Just as you need to know your spouse’s love language in order to commu­nicate your love for him/her, you need to know your spouse’s apology language; so that when you ask for forgiveness when you have hurt him/ her, they will accept your offer.      The most important elements of apology are sincerity and follow-through. An apology should come from your core value and sympa­thize with the effect of your be­havior on your spouse. State how important your spouse’s wellbeing is to you. State how sorry you are that you’ve done something to hurt your spouse. Ask how to make it up to your spouse. If the offence is recurring, have a plan of action to improve your behavior.
     The apology should not be con­tingent on your spouse apologizing, be tempered by excuses, have ele­ment of blame, or seek im­mediate forgiveness.
If you are re­ceiving an apology, don’t see it as an op­portunity for retaliation or revenge. Mastering the art of apol­ogy will do wonders for your martial relationship.
     Learn more about communica­tion in your marriage-Make plans to attend the Worldwide Marriage Encounter in September.