Empathy

To be able to put yourself in someone else's shoes is beyond powerful and is the key to understanding.  Without understanding there is no knowledge.  In a world full of tragedy, it is bound to have a profound effect on our emotions.  We can't just bury our heads in the sand or dismiss what we see as irrelevant to us, since much of it may not directly affect our lives.  But lives are affected.  Our fellow man is suffering.  Cultivating empathy requires of us the attitude that when someone else is hurting, so are we.  I think we live in a world of self-entitlement, where we are told that we deserve to feel good all the time.  Unfortunately, that is not in the cards for the vast majority.  We should strive to feel what they feel, see how they see, no matter how painful.  We may not have the means to make their lives better, but being less quick to judge someone for their circumstances, offering a listening ear or just sharing a smile really can make a difference.  And maybe it won't, but we will be better for it.

“Whenever you feel like criticizing any one...just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages that you've had.”
― F. Scott Fitzgerald