Sorry seems to be the hardest word

Recently I've learned a lot of important lessons.  One of the most important has been about healing- not just individually but healing relationships.  Recently someone I know was deeply hurt.  The details are not important.  The pain was inflicted unintentionally, but inflicted all the same.  At times it seems we should not get involved, but here I had been dragged in the middle of it and the anger was steered towards me.  While trying to figure out how to talk to the instigator to repair the situation, my phone rang.  I thought I might be angry, or upset, and want to let them know that what they did was absolutely not okay.  Instead the voice on the phone simply said, "I'm sorry."  Two simple words.  Alone they mean little, but spoken in sincerity and humility, accompanied by actions to heal those really hurt are rare-- and the most courageous words a mere mortal can utter.