Why should I give in? I’m right and s/he is wrong! Why should I be the one to apologize? I did nothing wrong!
Sound familiar?
This is one of the differences between children and adults. Children don’t care about being right as much as adults. Children can get into a fight and yet two minutes later they're playing together happily as if nothing happened. Adults get into a fight and they can go decades without talking to each other.
Why the difference?
Children would rather be happy than right, whereas adults would rather be right than happy.
An adult can go a lifetime missing out on a relationship with his own sibling or parent only because he insists that he is right and the other party has to change or apologize. Of course, the other party feels the same way and as a result the fight is never resolved.
Children, on the other hand, don't care as much about being right, they'd rather just be happy and enjoy each other.
All too often we get caught up with being right despite the possible negative repercussions. This is especially true in adult relationships.
The next time you get into a dispute, stop focusing on who is right and focus on what you need to do to be happier, and your relationships will be a lot better off.
It's more important to do right than to be right.
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Benjy Silverman