the power of an apology

it was a full day
the end of the first week of full day school
i was picking up my kid and my neighbor's kid, with my other kid in tow
she lost her keys
we went on an all-out search
i even stopped the principle before she headed back inside after the schoolyard had emptied
and in the frenetic search, i didn't realize
i had blocked a driveway
(after judging other people for blocking driveways near school earlier in the week.  ha!)
and all i saw in my rearview mirror was a VERY ANGRY PERSON
and i couldn't understand why
until i noticed that i wasn't parked along the sidewalk, innocently as expected
but i was rudely blocking access to someone's driveway
the search, the block: oh geesh
so i parked the car in a decent spot
and ran over to say sorry which i had already done in the car
so there i was
apologizing profusely
not realizing what i'd done
but wanting to make it right
and this person who's driveway is blocked on a regular basis, as i was told,
softened
the apology melted the anger
she apologized for the rage in the rearview mirror
after i said sorry for my indiscretion

we both left our conversation lighter
and the kids learned some lessons
and the key was found