Tag Archives: empathy

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How awesome

Today was an awesome as well as frustrating day!!!! Awesome day because I found out I made a 97/100 on my first doctoral paper!!! God is good! I was sooo nervous and am now so thankful! It is better than I thought I would get! I was aiming for a 90!!! It took a lot of work though, I know what it takes to make these grades, I know I cannot slack off!

The frustrating part of today is my insurance application ran into a glitch! Very disappointing but I still have hope! When I was down a few moments ago I came to a really awesome revelation….empathy!

Empathy is not sympathy! Empathy is what people have toward someone else, when you sense you are not pitied. Instead you feel understood, like they are trying or are seeing the world though your eyes and your shoes!

Feeling empathy (at least for me) is something that I value! When someone can look at you and show you – through their eyes, their body language and their concern – that they care. That they want to be there with you in this journey! That is a truly awesome feeling!

You realize you don’t have to fight! You don’t have to get exasperated with re-explaining the same thing over and over again! You don’t have to explain that you feel awful but maybe look great! You don’t have to paste a smile on your face and ignore the “you must be feeling better” welcomes!

Instead when you wince in pain and the persons eyes grow soft with concern! When you say that your whole body aches and you are exhausted; the response is that you are lightly touched with encouragement to keep going!

The people who are there empathetic really make an impact! I hope that I am considered one of them!

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What are you doing?

What are you doing for the people who you interact with every day? Do you listen to them? Do you ask them about their life with all sincerity? Do you show empathy? Do you show that you care?

I know I want people to care about me, to want to know what is going on in my life and to live a life that is an example of how I want to be treated. I want people to trust me, seek me out and know that I am the true example of a friend. While it is hard to “give” to other people…maybe something that we can all do is work harder at being there for the people who are in our lives.

I cannot help but wonder how our lives have become so “relationship-less.” How is that? Well we are now depending on “Facebook”/”twitter” or some other form of social media to “communicate” what is going on. Gone are the days of dropping in to see someone, to ask how they are doing or finding out how you can support them. The days of family dinner’s/ weekly lunch dates/ etc. Now we depend on seeing a “status update” to know how are friends are doing, who is in a relationship, who is getting engaged, who is sick, who has passed away etc. The list never ends..but the one thing that has ended is us calling with the news.

I miss the one on one communication and I hope that I can always be there for those in my life. I want them to know I am always available to listen, to pray, to visit and to care for them and their needs. What about you? How do you want to be remembered?

Yes a short soap box tonight! Let us just say, some days you do not realize how valuable it is to have someone say “I care.” This is especially true when you are hurting so bad and you just want some relief. If you are suffering tonight, as I know many are…just remember “I care.” And one reason I write on this blog so many times is to let you know that I do care, that I know how hard it is and I want you to be part of the life I LIVE. Yes LIVE, we can LIVE despite our pain!