The Ability to Empathize with Humanity

Its hard to imagine a world that lacks empathy. For many of us; empathy is part of our being. Perhaps, it is what it is to be human. We empathize with the world around us in many ways. When we empathize; we show compassion. Compassion towards the world around us. We show through compassion that we are willing to look beyond ourselves towards the difficulties or needs of another. An expression of compassion towards the world around us is a kind of spiritual journey. These are the doings that make people beautiful. The world is beautiful, because of the compassion we show to one another.

Think about this for a minute. Many newspapers would not be able to survive if humans were not compassionate. The fact that so many people read the newspaper and sympathize with particular happenings or inequities is a form of empathy. Its not necessary that the reader send fresh flowers to a grieving family at the other end of the world. Readers do not have to sympathize with a family's situation in this way. We can twitter or share the inequity in various social media outlets including facebook, hubpages, stumbeupon and so on. An expression of empathy says a lot.

When we empathize with a country in war; for its civilians, soldiers, and for the social and economic impact; we are expressing a form of empathy towards others. Do not underestimate the impact of your voice in any form. It could be through your own voice or your voice projected through social networking avenues such as Facebook.

Discussing these situations within our circle of family, friends and colleagues is evidence that the world is beautiful. There is potential then to believe that our fellow humans are capable of doing so much for others. We can express our opinions and bring to light the atrocities that occur all over the world through media outlets. When we have discussions online and in person we share a common platform with people around us. We are brought together by the binding strength of compassion and empathy towards those around us. The thought itself is inspirational and comforting. Think of your home as not just a house on the street that you live on. Instead, your home encompasses the entire world. Make a conscious effort to relate to the world and the difficulties that occur all over the world. Sympathize with people that are less fortunate than you. As a result, you will also have more gratitude for what you already have.

It seems apparent then that if we did not care for the world. How would our newspapers and online media portals read? Newspaper headlines would concentrate more on products of mass consumption with more advertisements than actual content. Take the marketing world of Ad sense, for example, its based on quality content. It is only with great content that we can expect to garner the attention of quality advertisements. The immense content that is available to the world around us was unimaginable prior to the internet. The fact that we have access to this content shows that it must be there; because we seek it. It shows that we are interested in the inequities around us. It shows that the world is predominantly of compassionate beings. It also illustrates that there is great opportunity then for compassion and empathy to exist in our world. The world is indeed a beautiful place to be.

Compassion starts with being considerate towards the life situations of others. Taking a moment out of our daily lives to think of people who are less fortunate than we are is an act of grace. We are putting ourselves second to the needs of others in a healthy way. This form of empathy can be cultivated towards showing greater compassion towards others. We can donate to a worthy cause. When we donate; we are actually releasing feel good endorphins in our body. There is something truly beautiful about giving that benefits us and those around us. It shows that we live in a compassionate world that cares for one another. The compassion of a nation can be seen in how they care for the most vulnerable; being the elderly and children.

We can show our love in many ways. Compassion and understanding towards the situations of those in our immediate circle is a great way to start. Our parents, grandparents, siblings, relatives and friends can benefit from our empathy and compassion. When we sympathize with them; we give them tremendous hope that they are not alone. It gives them immense strength to believe in the possibilities of life. To believe that life is beautiful. To believe that the love for people does exist.

To know that someone is compassionate towards your life situation gives you so much strength. It makes situations bearable and so much more easier to cope with. In fact, compassion often lifts us from our most difficult circumstances and allows us to see the possibilities. During troubled times, those that come to our need are often appreciated. We are touched by the many angels in our lives. These deeds are not easily forgotten.

However, we should not make a huge declaration of our empathy; in that we shouldn't help a particular person or family for the sole purpose of benefiting ourselves. That defeats the purpose of showing empathy. Donating to a worthy cause; it is not to say that you are great. It is to motivate. That they too can make a difference in the lives of others. When you show compassion; have the other person's best interest at heart. Compassion is not to do so expecting that the person help you out in your time of need. Trust me when I say that you will receive a lot more than you give. The individual or family does not have to do anything in return for you to benefit from your goodwill. Compassion in itself is the greatest reward.

Compassion may return to you in a different form. Perhaps, a stranger may come to your assistance if you had a sudden stroke on the sidewalk. It happened to my father when he was walking at night on the sidewalk. Thankfully, we were able to take him to the hospital in time. Personally, I think that things happen for a reason. What we put forth onto this universe; shall return to us in some shape or form. Its the natural order of the universe. It does not have to be so clearly visible to us that we had received this deed in return for this deed. That energy will always circulate. People are naturally drawn towards the need to do something for someone. Sometimes, we neglect this need, because we don't have the time. We may have to compromise time with our family to help someone in need such as a colleague who is going through a difficult relationship. However, we should take the time to let them know that they are in our thoughts and prayers.

We should appreciate that compassion exists around us. To illustrate the impact of compassion, I would like to share with you a personal story. During our time of grief, people visited our home to show their condolences for the passing of our loved one. For weeks, relatives and friends visited our home and they brought their own food. Our thoughtful guests did not speak to us in great length about the physical loss of our loved one. Sometimes emotions need not be said. It ought to be felt in the atmosphere through love and compassion. A calming and reassuring presence was felt throughout the day and into the night. Friends and relatives empathized with us. Their presence was comfort enough. Many laughed wholeheartedly and shared wonderful stories of our beloved one. They told us what our loved one had done for them when they were in need of love and compassion. These sacred memories helped us in our healing over time. It also helped our guests come to terms with her passing.

We were able to appreciate our loved one in a different light. We learned about her life experiences in a different way. We literally saw the impact she had on those around her. She was a very modest lady. She never spoke about what she had done for others. However, I am glad that they shared their stories, because these stories would have never been known otherwise. In fact, her nurse practitioner and caregivers attended the proceedings as well. They shared with us their personal impressions of this wonderful woman. Personally, I learned so much about my loved one from many people from all walks of life. They were touched by her strength and compassion.

Many of her students took great liberty in sharing their experiences with us. They told us that she was an inspirational chemistry teacher. She taught with dedication and would repeat concepts without tire. Now, these students are parents with children of their own. They spoke with such enthusiasm about her reflecting on how difficult they were as a child. These enlightening conversations meant so much to us. Of course, some of our relatives and friends were silent about their experiences. However, I know that they also had their own story for being there. I wished they would share that with us, but I respect their silence. Their presence in itself was reassuring. I felt a deep connection with everyone regardless. The love that was in the room was truly profound.

In the silence; there was an immense sense of empathy and compassion. It felt right in a way that would have never felt right in any other circumstances. People did not have to speak to be understood. There was a universal understanding of what grief meant. When we called people to first inform them of her passing; they were compassionate. They did not occupy our time for long and allowed us the liberty of speaking at our will. That was touching.

We were able to understand with greater depth; her relationships among siblings, relatives and friends. For instance, one of her relatives spoke emotionally about how much she had done for her during their childhood. She completed her speech saying that she would not have been able to achieve many of the things in her life if it had not been for her beloved sister. That speech moved me to tears. It was beautiful. I realized then that she had not only lost a sister, but also a mother.

People opened up to me in different ways. There was a strong need and want to empathize and to relate to you. And for you to understand their relationship with your loved one. These are moments that show us the strength of humanity and the love that can exist all around us. We realize during such difficult moments that the meaning for life is not in what you possess, but in the love you show others. Many people visited her while she was in the hospital. She was so grateful for their visits and they were grateful for having had the opportunity to say their last words.

People have immense gratitude for what you do for them. Its not easy to convey such emotions when people are alive and well. Many stories and experiences come to light after a person is physically gone. Personally, I would have loved to have known of such stories during my time with her. If I could see my loved one now; I would tell her how proud I am of how much of a difference she made in the lives of her siblings, her students and people. I would tell her how much she means to me. I would tell her that she was my role model, and my guardian angel, and that she meant more to me than I can ever imagine.

Interestingly, the other day, I came across a thought provoking saying that caught my attention,

"People were created to be loved. Things were created to be used. The reason why the world is in chaos, is because things are being loved, and people are being used".

The poem resonated with me long after I had read it. I couldn't help but associate the poem with the passing of my loved one. I smiled thinking about her love for people. She loved everyone around her. She loved her siblings and her nieces and nephews. She had lost her mother at a young age. She was almost like a mother to her eleven siblings. She was also a wonderful inspirational grandmother to her nieces and nephews. She was a wonderful wife to her husband. A beautiful mother to her children. And she was a beautiful soul.

And for this Christmas, on behalf of my mother, I hope people are loved so much more for who they are. Compassionate love will stand the test of time. This Christmas, take the time to love everyone around you. Love the people who have made an impact in your life. Do not wait until they are gone to share your story. Tell them that they made such a difference in your life. Give the gift of love this Christmas. If you are hesitant to say it in person. Write it down on a Christmas card and give it to them. Nothing says Christmas like a heartfelt hug with a Christmas card.

Life is too short to love things. Love people. You will find that your life is all the more rewarding. People will love you more. Think about it for a minute. When you think of someone you love. You think about your feelings towards them and about how much they love you. We may not always remember the things that they bought for us or the things we bought them for Christmas. However, the love they have for us will live in us forever. This Christmas, appreciate the fact that people may not always be drawn to you by the things you possess. People are drawn to you emotionally to the love that you show them. The love that is inherently in you. Love starts with a little empathy towards those around you. A little compassion this Christmas season can go a long way. Merry Christmas.