Call me a bit paranoid but as I sit writing this particular editorial; I feel as if I am becoming even more so. I simply find that if you have the time to dig a bit deeper you will find that reasons are not really reasons but instead they are excuses.
There used to be a time when reasons were reasons but these days with everyone having much more on their plate and not enough time to either complete commitments or may be not planning enough time to complete them, we are finding ourselves becoming more paranoid, experiencing more stress, and scrambling to find ways to plug holes and leaks.
Here are some very popular reasons/excuses that I have been experiencing over the last year.
“I did not get your emails.”
Well, no real way to prove this to be true so blame this on technology if you will.
“I have been really sick and in hospital so could not respond.”
Again, no way to prove this. it may be true but then I have first hand knowledge to the contrary that the person proffering this reason/excuse was hiding behind this.
It was so bad that the story grew more and more humorous as they continued to build on the reason/excuse.
“I was out of town and did not have access to my emails.”
I would say to this that maybe you could have found the time to let the intended receiver know that you were going to be out of town before you left.
If communication was important to you then you would have found time to let them know.
“I forgot to put our meeting in my calendar.”
Sorry but for whereas this could be an honest mistake it may not be as acceptable given that modern technology gives us all kinds of ways to keep our calendars up to date.
I call this a lame and anaemic reason/excuse at the best of times.
Or you have those who enthusiastically agree to volunteer to help out but then here come some of the typical excuses and there is really no way to dispute these.
The give away could be when they cop out at the last minute but then again you need to use your intuition to evaluate.
“I have to work.”
“I have to baby sit my friend’s cat or dog.”
“I have to visit a family member who unexpectedly ended up in hospital due to an accident.”
Ah yes! Reasons/excuses and just my two cents for today.