Empathy is not only about understanding other people, its about truly feeling and sensing every passion, heartache, and triumph. It’s a quality I’m so thankful to have simply because of the way it molds my perspective. It allows me to get close to people, to retain connections; most importantly, I feel that empathy allows me to show people that they are cared for.
Having emotions does not equal weakness. Feelings themselves often have a negative connotation in this day and age. People are so quick to close themselves off and think its easier to flip the switch. Empathy isn’t weakness, it creates space for humanity, for curiosity about others.
It causes change, to restrain judgment with compassion. Whenever I see someone exerting themselves, whether it’s in a movie or in real life, it’s like there is something inside of me that compels me to want to help. I place myself in their shoes or I imagine what I would feel if that were a person close to me. We inspire others to do the same. We inspire others to be more understanding, to not be so quick to form judgments about a person over one action and to understand that everyone has something going on.
I often feel as if it is my responsibility to bring love and laughter in to others lives, when that’s not the case at all. My only job is to be present, to be there when people are in need of someone. Listening and engaging is sometimes the only thing a person might need; empathy helps me respond in the best way possible to someone’s story.
Empathy is one of the greatest forces within us. It allows our hearts to beat with storms instead of pulses, to treat people with warmth and tenderness.
With lots of love,
Dani