Blog 3230- 09.05.2024

Empathy

Lately on my early morning walks I have been going by Oak Forest Elementary where my son attended in the early nineteen nineties for pre-school and elementary. The school looks quite different than it did when Jay went there. The original school building was small, still quite a number of portable buildings had been set up all over the grounds to handle the ever growing student body count. Several years ago they built a beautiful new larger school building at the same location and afterwards removed all the portable buildings. There is a long covered walking way to the main entrance and on the sidewalk at intervals both headed into school and out are painted seven inspiring and encouraging words. Beginning today and for the next week I intend to draw inspiration for my next seven blogs from those words.

The first word is Empathy. The dictionary defines empathy thus:

The rock ‘n roll take on the Cherokee saying about walking a mile in someone else’s moccasins goes: “Before you accuse, criticize, and abuse, walk a mile in my shoes.” Empathizing means just that, we see ourself in someone else’s shoes viewing life from their perspective. It is so much easier to be understanding and compassionate toward others if we can learn to see ourselves in their place. Three little phrases that I say in my daily mantra are:

I mirror you.

I admire you.

I adore.

I am thinking of adding a fourth – I love you.

One of the most used descriptions of love goes, “ Love is patient, love is kind…”

I have found it is much easier to love others when we learn to love ourselves and to be patient and kind with ourselves. Then the Golden Rule is easier to follow. You know the one, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” No one ever gets ahead “getting even” yet by practicing empathy we can create a better world for everyone.

Your friend and fellow traveler,

David White