--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is always so simple, and so…" description: "\"It is always so simple, and so complicating, to accept an apology.\" — Michael Chabon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/michael-chabon-627_accepting_it-is-always-so-simple-and-so-complicati_1582482.png" --- # It is always so simple, and so complicating, to accept an… ![“It is always so simple, and so complicating, to accept an apology.” quote by Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/michael-chabon-627_accepting_it-is-always-so-simple-and-so-complicati_1582482.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/michael-chabon-627_accepting_it-is-always-so-simple-and-so-complicati_1582482.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/michael-chabon-627_accepting_it-is-always-so-simple-and-so-complicati_1582482.png) > “It is always so simple, and so complicating, to accept an apology.” [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Accepting an apology is paradoxically simple yet emotionally complex, requiring both rational agreement and emotional processing. **In simple terms:** Apologies are easy to accept but hard to feel. Key Takeaway Practice empathy and clear communication. Themes forgiveness communication complexity Mood thoughtful hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - conflict resolution - personal growth - teamwork Key Concepts psychology ethics Questions to Reflect On - Why is it hard to truly forgive? - What steps make apologies meaningful? A Different Perspective Apologies may feel insincere if not backed by change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apology/) ## Related quotes > [When I accept an apology it means that the part in me that honors our relationship honors the part in you that honors our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kador/when-i-accept-an-apology-it-means-that-the-part-in-me-that-honors-our/) [John Kador](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kador/) > [It's live television. People make mistakes and Steve Harvey was very gracious to apologize. I accept his apology and I think it speaks a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pia-wurtzbach/it-s-live-television-people-make-mistakes-and-steve-harvey-was-very/) [Pia Wurtzbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pia-wurtzbach/) > [“I'll accept your apology on one condition." He folded his arms across his chest. "Anything?" "You trust me." I cocked my head to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/i-ll-accept-your-apology-on-one-condition-he-folded-his-arms-across/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) > [If Bush said just once: 'Boy. I hope you accept my apology as a country,' or showed some humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-bacharach/if-bush-said-just-once-boy-i-hope-you-accept-my-apology-as-a-country/) [Burt Bacharach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-bacharach/) > [I guess I have learnt now that life becomes easier when you learn to accept an apology you never got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celina-jaitly/i-guess-i-have-learnt-now-that-life-becomes-easier-when-you-learn-to/) Celina Jaitly > [“Why is it men think you have to accept an apology, just because one is offered?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dd-barant/why-is-it-men-think-you-have-to-accept-an-apology-just-because-one-is/) DD Barant > [Life becomes easier when you accept the apology you never got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-becomes-easier-when-you-accept-the-apology-you-never-got/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Taking responsibility for what you did shows strength and maturity. People will may not accept your apology right away but they'll respect that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharlene05/taking-responsibility-for-what-you-did-shows-strength-and-maturity/) Sharlene05 > [Never accept the apology from the one who made the mistake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-stacks/never-accept-the-apology-from-the-one-who-made-the-mistake/) [Kate Stacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-stacks/) > [''Life becomes easier when you learn to accept an apology you never got''](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-becomes-easier-when-you-learn-to-accept-an-apology-you-never-got/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Mankind, in the attempt to uncomplicate the complicate, almost always ends up complicating it even more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-malfatti/mankind-in-the-attempt-to-uncomplicate-the-complicate-almost-always/) [Jean-Paul Malfatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-malfatti/) > [Be on guard, my soul, of complicating your environment so that you have neither time nor room for growth!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-elliot/be-on-guard-my-soul-of-complicating-your-environment-so-that-you-have/) [Jim Elliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-elliot/) > [My life is very complicating and I always have a lot going on so before you judge me try walking a mile in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-life-is-very-complicating-and-i-always-have-a-lot-going-on-so/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Why complicate your life when it did not need complicating, when you had a choice?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-galbraith/why-complicate-your-life-when-it-did-not-need-complicating-when-you/) [Robert Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-galbraith/) > [“Holy shit, were we complicating things. We were out of control. "Building?" Asked Eric, voice heavy with disbelief. "Yes." Teeth gritted, I smiled. "Banging,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-scott/holy-shit-were-we-complicating-things-we-were-out-of-control-building/) [Kylie Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-scott/) ## More by Michael Chabon > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. When done well, it raises the quality of human life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/entertainment-is-a-sacred-pursuit-when-done-well-when-done-well-it/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Anyway, it's a pretty good story," I said. "You have to admit." "Yeah?" He crumpled up the Kleenex, having dispatched the solitary tear. "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/anyway-it-s-a-pretty-good-story-i-said-you-have-to-admit-yeah-he/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [There were so many Pittsburgh poets in my hallway that if, at that instant, a meteorite had come smashing through my roof, there would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/there-were-so-many-pittsburgh-poets-in-my-hallway-that-if-at-that/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Badass.'" My grandfather sampled the flavor of the word. It did not seem to revolt him, but it was nothing he needed ever to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/badass-my-grandfather-sampled-the-flavor-of-the-word-it-did-not-seem/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [See you in the funny papers," he said. Jaunty, he reminded himself; always jaunty. In my panache is their hope for salvation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/see-you-in-the-funny-papers-he-said-jaunty-he-reminded-himself-always/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“I didn't want to be left alone with Timothy, not because I was afraid of him but because I was afraid that somebody would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/i-didn-t-want-to-be-left-alone-with-timothy-not-because-i-was-afraid/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“He had already seized this particular day once, but he was prepared, if need be, to go ahead and seize the motherfucker all over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/he-had-already-seized-this-particular-day-once-but-he-was-prepared-if/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“We figure he must have let him out. The perpetrator, I mean. He's blind and we figure he just wandered off and maybe got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/we-figure-he-must-have-let-him-out-the-perpetrator-i-mean-he-s-blind/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Then I reminded myself that I was always willing to listen to arguments in favor of avoiding an unpleasant chore, and I shook my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/then-i-reminded-myself-that-i-was-always-willing-to-listen-to/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Love great first lines and paragraphs. From The Yiddish Policemen's Union: Nine months Landsman's been flopping at the Hotel Zamenhof without any of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/love-great-first-lines-and-paragraphs-from-the-yiddish-policemen-s/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“Life blew in gusts from the hole in the side of the elephant with a rank smell and a comic flatulence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/life-blew-in-gusts-from-the-hole-in-the-side-of-the-elephant-with-a/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [Not only would I never want to belong to any club that would have me for a member--if elected I would wear street shoes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/not-only-would-i-never-want-to-belong-to-any-club-that-would-have-me/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [That's the best thing about writing, when you're in that zone, you're porous, ready to absorb the solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/that-s-the-best-thing-about-writing-when-you-re-in-that-zone-you-re/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [Most science fiction seemed to be written for people who already liked science fiction; I wanted to write stories for anyone, anywhere, living at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/most-science-fiction-seemed-to-be-written-for-people-who-already/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [ “For as long as I could remember, I'd been making vague and confident assurances that any day I would finish the thing \[my book\].… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/for-as-long-as-i-could-remember-i-d-been-making-vague-and-confident/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) [Explore all 436 Michael Chabon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is always so simple, and so complicating, to accept an apology.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Chabon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/it-is-always-so-simple-and-so-complicating-to-accept-an-apology/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accepting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/it-is-always-so-simple-and-so-complicating-to-accept-an-apology/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/michael-chabon-627_accepting_it-is-always-so-simple-and-so-complicati_1582482.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/michael-chabon-627_accepting_it-is-always-so-simple-and-so-complicati_1582482.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bd/michael-chabon-627_accepting_it-is-always-so-simple-and-so-complicati_1582482.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is always so simple, and so complicating, to accept an apology.” — Michael Chabon", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Michael Chabon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is always so simple, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/it-is-always-so-simple-and-so-complicating-to-accept-an-apology/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/it-is-always-so-simple-and-so-complicating-to-accept-an-apology/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```