Explanations, Reasons, and Excuses

Explanations, Reasons, and Excuses

As a father, an ex-husband, and a supervisor I have heard a lot of explanations, reasons, and excuses. I recently started wondering about how to define and distinguish them. An excuse sounds like something false that people say to get around responsibility for their failings, whereas explanations or reasons are more about something you have no control over. If you can anticipate the possibility of an occurrence that would stop you from keeping your responsibility, that might cancel out a real reason.

God forbid, but if the plane you are riding on crashes, you have a reason for being late! This might be called a good excuse. I like to say that it is a good reason or a good explanation. The word excuse just smacks with prevarication and irresponsibility.

One of my co-workers was late the other day. I asked him why and he said that the train was delayed. I looked at the clock and he was 25 minutes late. The trains on the line he rides are every 8 minutes. I wonder. Was he giving me an explanation or an excuse?

A friend of mine has a son. He received a B in one of his classes last semester. He had told his father earlier in the term that he was getting an A. Unfortunately, on the day before the final exam, he went to the library to study and it was closed. This was his reason for not doing well on the exam. Doesn't it sound like an excuse?

One night my wife was late getting home from her waitress job. She said that it took longer to clean up that night. The thing is that the restaurant closed at 10:00 PM and she didn't get home until almost 1:00 AM. She was going to get a ride home with a friend. What she didn't know is that I had driven to the restaurant at 11:00 PM to surprise her with a ride home. I was the one surprised. No one was there. It turns out she was having an affair with the bartender. Great excuse Honey! And thanks for a long and exciting custody battle and divorce!

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