Empathy

"EMPATHY IS ABOUT FINDING ECHOS OF ANOTHER PERSON IN YOURSELF" 

         Empathy has no script. There is no right or wrong way to do it. It is simply slipping into the shoes of another person, aiming to understand their feelings and perspectives and to use that understanding to guide our actions. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest acts of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. 

Nothing is more important than empathy for another human being's suffering. Nothing, Not a career, not wealth, not intelligence, and certainly not status. One of the most important things you can do on this earth is to let people know that they are not alone. It is the lack of empathy that makes it very easy for us to plunge into wars, It is the lack of empathy that allows us to ignore the homeless on the streets. Empathy is a gift we share with others, But it's a gift that comes at a terrible price that only strong hearts possess. Because to empathize with someone's pain, you need to have experienced it yourself and that is the hidden price that strong hearts have to pay to be who they are.

Empathy is the building block of morality---for people to follow the Golden Rule, it helps if they can put themselves in someone else's shoes. It is also the key ingredient of successful relationships because it helps us understand the perspective, needs, and intentions of people. Empathy plays a major role in reshaping our life and some of the main advantages of Empathy are;-

1. Empathy reduces Prejudice & Racism

2. Empathy reduces Bullying 

3. Empathy promotes heroic acts

4. Empathy fights inequality 

5. Empathy is good for health care

Regardless of that, Empathy is not always about understanding an individual deeply, It is also about helping them throughout their suffering. Let us understand it by a short story.

The starfish story

Once upon a time, there was an author who used to go to the beach to do his writing. He had a habit of walking along the beach before starting his work. 

One day, as he was walking along the shore, he saw a person moving rhythmically like a dancer, at a distance. He was keen to meet this dancer who was dancing on a hot, humid day...and so, he walked faster to catch up with him. 

As he got closer, he noticed a young man, and he was not dancing. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects, and throwing them back into the sea. 

He came closer to the young man and called out 'Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?'

The young man paused and looked up, and replied 'I am throwing starfish into the sea.'

'I must ask, then, why are you throwing the starfish into the sea?' asked the somewhat startled writer. 

The young man replied, 'The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they will die.' 

The writer was now getting curious, 'But, young man, don't you realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are thousands of starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!'

At this, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish, and threw it into the sea. As it met the water, he said, 

'It made a difference for that one.'

So you see, We must take time to do something that will make a difference in someone else's life... and it doesn't have to be much and they don't need to know. Just take a moment, do something special... the universe will know and that's enough. Thus, Value what you have, use what to have, and trust what you have. Because if we

Cannot see eye to eye, Then let's try Heart to Heart. 

By- Vaanya badhwar

Grade 8

Billabong High International School