It is just that it is usually pretty damn convenient to be sorry only when the situation has become a bust and not until then. But in our heads, we are making a deal, whether we choose to believe so or not. I was watching one of those trashy talk shows who had women on there that had stolen their best friends man. Now the women wanted to apologize to their friends. I assert that if they had not lost their man they would not be there apologizing.
Rationalization is a short cut to realizing truths.
If you stick your head in the ground you're just going to get a mouth full of dirt. Being real with who you are and honest with what you want takes a lot of courage. You just have to decide which hand you want to play and know the odds of the outcome. If you come up short, maybe you should rethink your game and your strategy. For me, having my brother in the hospital and near death was a reality.