Hearing five

Foive, fieve, fife, fahv, fie …

I could say the word “five” in many ways. If you hear the context, and if you’re willing, you’ll understand.

That is, we might walk together.

But if your ear is hardened and you’re firm, you won’t hear it. You’ll argue, “I don’t know what ‘foive’ means.” And for lack of perfect articulation and enunciation, the message will be lost.

To have a softer ear, a more sensitive ear, a more generous ear — is to be open to the lessons the world is aching to teach us.