Does anybody remember "Love Story"?  I found that saying extremely nauseating.  In my book, love is all about communication, and part of that communication is apologizing -- all the time -- and sometimes even when you didn't start the battle.

 
No, I'm not saying gratuitously apologize all the time, but communication is a basic necessity of any good relationship, and not taking responsibility for our actions or apologizing for our transgressions or for stomping on another's feelings is not healthy.
 
Say you and your cute little dude are chatting away on the phone, when suddenly, Dude inadvertently verbally steps in a dog pile during your conversation.  Now I'm not talking abuse or anything purposeful, but you know how it happens when they're momentarily hit by the stupid stick.  I know you know what I'm talking about because this is most certainly NOT gender specific.  Anyway, say Dude tells you you remind him of his Mama, who you swear was separated at birth from Hulk Hogan. You get furious and hang up. 
 
Now Dude may not have been talking about Mama's skills in the wrestling ring, but her kind and gentle nature (cough, cough).  He may not have been the sharpest knife in the drawer for that one brief and shining moment, but what did you gain by hanging up?  You jumped to conclusions and missed the compliment he was paying you.  Now was it really worth it?
 
Let's take it a step further -- let's take a totally fictional example.  One day say I was -- I mean, YOU were giving some input and advice to Dude on a problem he was having, and he stupidly disagrees with me -- you, you!  Remember, this NEVER happened, total fiction. 
 
So a few days later, Dude starts describing the brilliant solution HE came up with, and how he handled the situation, and it's the exact method you had given him.  Instead of screaming, "Idiot, don't you ever listen to a word I say," you congratulate him on his cleverness and ingenuity.  Okay so far???  Just wait.
 
Upon hanging up the phone, you just can't wait to e-mail your BFF to chuckle over the incident and sarcastically ask where Dude of Wonder ever came up with such a brilliant idea.  And then you hit send -- just as you realize that you accidentally addressed it not to your friend, but to HIM!!!  AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
 
So Dude shouldn't have taken my idea as his own after poo-pooing it, but how demeaning was it for him to see I was making fun of him in the situation.    So naturally, I apologized for my part.  The cool part was it also gave him an opportunity to see what he had done and apologize to me. Wow, communication and win-win!
 
The e-mail that I "accidentally" sent him subsequently didn't hurt.  It was address to my BFF describing how wonderful he was and how exordinarily lucky I was to have him in my life.
 
The moral of the story is, communication is vital to the health of any relationship, and so is taking responsibility for our actions and having respect for our partner's feelings.
 
Whether he's being unconscious and you're overreacting or whatever the problem, remember, all you are responsible for is your actions, and only your actions.  If you aren't proud of your actions, step up to the plate and take responsibility for them in this debacle we call love.