Empathy

     According to the dictionary empathy is “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.”  I think if we were able to do this more fully we would all be better people.  However there are many times that we don’t consider what the other person is going through.  It’s probably because we can’t really put ourselves into another person’s shoes.  We try to justify our own actions and thoughts instead of considering everything that another person may be dealing with in their life.


     Let’s be honest:  It’s not easy to show empathy to other people.  We haven’t had to “LIVE” their life.  We don’t know all the “little” things that they may be trying to deal with.  We may “SEE” a young, healthy looking person, but can’t imagine the mental problems they are fighting against within their mind.  You may see a charming grandmother who is constantly smiling and helping all those around her deal with THEIR problems.  But if we only knew that she is shunned by her children who no longer want anything to do with her.  And her husband is slowly losing his mental faculties.  He can’t remember her name or any of the events they shared in their lives together.  Inside she is barely able to continue to function on a daily basis.


     We see these people every day.  We walk past them wherever we go.  Most people don’t show all their despair on their shoulders, as the expression goes.  So, perhaps we walk by or we see them while out shopping and we speak to them but they don’t reply.  Don’t make a BIG deal out of it, but assume there must be SOME reason that we are not aware of to make them unresponsive.  Or perhaps when we try to comment and they respond in a harsh and truly mean fashion:  again do we really understand WHAT they are going through.  Could we show them more compassion and empathy?  Maybe we could at least pause and be willing to overlook their response or even their lack of any response.


     Consider some we may want to show more empathy to:  the homeless, older people, our schoolmates or workmates, or perhaps our marriage mate or another family member.  Remember that “crazy uncle” that is in every family?  Maybe he’s just the misunderstood family member that perhaps others haven’t taken the time to really understand.  Maybe he’s not as “crazy” as everyone thinks he is!


     Of course one major reason that we would want to be empathetic to others is that we want THEM to be empathetic toward US!  Let’s be honest!  There’s not one of us that doesn’t have OUR moments.  We have MANY things in our lives that push us to our limit and sometimes beyond!  We need the support of others.  We need their love and their understanding.  So, we need to treat them (ALL of them) the way we want to be treated ourselves.  Never forget that we are all in this game of life together.  Let’s help each other as much as we can.

QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Don't judge people before you know them.

And when you KNOW them --- don't judge them!"