When the mouth speaks, it’s like letting loose water that cannot be brought back again. Likewise, when you attack or condemn others without considering that you may be in the wrong, you swing an axe at people you once loved or knew.
But suddenly you realize with horror that you didn’t have all the information and you prematurely condemned them or belittled them with no good reason.
You seek reconciliation and maybe extend an olive branch. It’s easy for us to say, “Let’s just forget what I said, let’s move on.” The axe indeed forgets, but the tree will always remember.
Try to be kind, even when you’re sure that the other person is wrong. No need to always swing an axe.