HAVE you experienced a difficulty that moves you to reach out to others who are struggling in the same way? You feel a certain connection because you’ve been there. You don’t need to hear a request. Your heart knows you want to do a little something to alleviate someone’s suffering. You can’t rest until you do.
Empathy, the “ability to share and understand the emotions of others”. It makes you sympathetic, thus the desire to help.
Imagine how beautiful the world would be if there would be more empathetic teachers, policemen, healthcare workers, leaders, lawmakers, policymakers, businessmen, and ordinary citizens. People care about other human beings and are deeply motivated to help them – not to take advantage of them.
“Some people think only intellect counts: knowing how to solve problems, knowing how to get by, knowing how to identify an advantage and seize it. But the functions of intellect are insufficient without courage, love, friendship, compassion, and empathy” (Dean Koontz).
Teach children to develop empathy. Support individuals who care about the sufferings of other people. May our own struggles move us to be sympathetic and helpful to others without overdoing it.
