Is there an expiration date on "making it up to someone"?

Question

I made a mistake and owned up to it. I approached a former friend offering to make restitution for my mistakes. The person refused to talk to me even after I pressed the issue and I decided it best to let the situation go. If that person were to come back to me after refusing to accept my apology and attempt at restitution and say to me, "hey, you owe me and NOW I want to collect," do I still owe that person restitution?

Answer 1

You made the attempt, it was refused. Case closed. Just remember, your actions, cost you a friend.

Answer 2

Ethically, there is no limit.
Legally, there might be.
If you 'owned up to it`, offered restitution,
and were refused, you've done all that can
be reasonably expected.
If the injured party comes back later, you
still owe the restitution, but no more.

Answer 3

I would say you would owe it in perpetuity. One approach to making things right might be to send a handwritten letter apologizing. In apologizing one of the big secrets is to outline the impact your transgression had on them. The offended party wants to feel heard and understood. Doing this helps the apology be less hollow and more aligned with "I am sorry I caused you this pain" vs. "I am sorry you are mad at me" or "I am sorry I got caught."

Good luck.

Answer 4

It depends on how badly you want to make it up to that person.