last week i got a little ahead of myself. talked about gentleness. i don't think it took. i recognize the problem however and i've decided to take a step back, talk about empathy. empathy is when you understand how someone else feels, your emotions begin to mirror those being experienced by another person. it can run the gamut of joy to despair, pleasure to pain, it is one of the wonders of being human, a wireless transmission of experience performed via imagination. when you empathize with others, you begin to understand how your own actions effect them, how they effect the world. despite the wonder of it all, i've heard empathy described even here as a weakness. i think differently. because what are tears, what is rage, what is violence but an attempt to make others understand how you feel when empathy fails? when people feel like others don't understand them, they are compelled to lash out, causing more pain, and if there is a critical lack of empathy, the bonds of fellowship that hold us together begin to break down, like a chain reaction. like any skill, empathy can be developed, if it is nurtured and cherished. but it can also atrophy if we do not pay attention to it, some even work to suppress their own empathy. this is a mistake, because if someone loves you, when god loves you, you need empathy to understand that love. only through empathy can we truly experience the joys of being human, and i encourage everyone to practice, build up their talents, and become more empathetic. i hope you understand how i feel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EbHermSJXY 