"Sometimes, despite our best efforts, prevention doesn't work. We say things in anger, either with our voices or in writing, preserved forever, in social media, for the whole world to go back to and pick apart and mock forever.

And then it's time for a serious cleanup on aisle 5.

THIS IS A BONUS OPPORTUNITY. We all screw up from time to time (Yes, really; all of us). We are all flawed humans, not machines running error-free software.

That means we will all earn, at various times, a splendid opportunity: The chance to perfect our apology and amends-making skills. And when it comes to apologies, there are definitely best practices.

A relationship or reputation that's been compromised by words needs to be repaired. Those efforts begin-always-with an apology. The repairs may need to go well beyond the apology, but that is where they start..."