His eyes reveal a hundred emotions, and carefully he considers his next action. He looks up slowly, and quietly "Sorry ..." escapes from his mouth. Somehow the single sound of the word is enough to mend all wounds and calm all anger. I look at my little brother with trust, knowing that his emotions are genuine. That single word is the only one that could express the deepest regret he has in his tiny heart.

We have forgotten how to forgive, and perhaps this is why the word "sorry" has become more rarely heard. Brief notes and messages on refrigerator doors have replaced the need for spoken apologies. And it is for that reason that a simple "sorry" is so powerful. So few use the word in its purest sense, and so few have discovered the effect a single, honest apology has. My brother has found a way to heal those he hurts, and the strength to admit when he is wrong. His single "sorry" is more potent than a thousand of its synonyms. I regret only that I have not learned from his simplicity, rarely finding the courage to speak the most powerful syllables in the English language. c