Actions really do speak louder than words. And that can be a real barrier in the process of restitution. A mistake can be difficult to set right when a pattern of behavior predicts continued failure. Apologies are made, words of forgiveness exchanged, but such words are rendered mendacious if the subsequent behaviors do not support them. Trust is lost in the presence of failure, and the only way to restore trust is to repeatedly replace failure with success. One success, however, does not instantly repair the damage, even though it takes only one failure to destroy trust. It may seem unfairly balanced, but perhaps that is because in a fallen state, failure is more natural and so a habit of success must be proven rather than assumed. Best of intentions is never good enough; many a man has failed even while seeking to do the right thing. So, while an apology is good and a promise to improve is better, the only thing that really matters is whether there are actions to back up the words. The general consensus is that talk is cheap, but despite the cynicism of our culture, people do still expect words to be followed by actions. Cynicism is merely a by-product of so many broken promises. The power of a spoken promise, of our bond being defined by our word, has long been forgotten. Would that more men (and women) would live again with the virtue of keeping promises, keeping in mind the long view, and seeking to restore the dignity and honor of the spoken word.

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