Actually, there is no good excuse. Everything that’s starting with ‘ex’ implies that something happened and now isn’t anymore. Ex-cusatio means being without guilt (any more). That again implies that the person who excuses himself for whatever he’s done or hasn’t done thinks that his failure is forgotten. Instantly. But it isn’t. He isn’t without guilt the moment he excuses himself. Because it needs the other person who accepts the excuse. That’s something that some people forget sometimes. For that reason, I think, the best excuse will always be the one that comes with an acceptable reason and at least some degree of regret. An excuse can’t be accepted just because of the excuse itself.

© Dominik Alexander / 2026