The gift of hearing is a precious gift.

But it only with the heart that we can hear rightly.

The cry of a needy person may reach our ears,

but unless it reaches our heart

we will not feel the person’s pain,

and it is unlikely that we will respond.

And the gift of speech is a precious gift.

But again, it is only with the heart that we can speak rightly.

For our words to ring true, they must come from the heart.

If they come only from the lips,

they will have a hollow sound and will have little effect.

They will be like a wind that ruffles the surface of the water

but leaves the depths untouched.

But words that come from the heart, enter the heart.