Having empathy means understanding and sharing in others’ feelings without necessarily letting those emotions overwhelm or drain you. When I see or hear of others in bad situations, it makes me feel awful for them. Feeling bad often stems from helplessness. In the majority of cases that make me feel sad, there’s certainly nothing I can do to make whatever people are facing any better.
Just a couple examples…
- Buster, my ex, is struggling BIG TIME with health issues too numerous to mention. He called and asked me for a photo I took of him that he wants to use for his obituary. I feel so horrible for him because there’s really nothing that doctors can do — and certainly nothing I can do — to make his situation any better.
- People that work in low paying jobs oftentimes have some pretty undesirable living conditions. Perry has a couple single Moms that work full time but make so little that one lives in a camper and the other in a motel — with kids! I can’t even imagine the hardships on their entire families, but I can’t fix that.
Empathy is a finite resource—replenish it to keep feeling good.
Saying to myself, “I’ve done what I can (or there’s nothing I CAN do),” helps to reinforce that I’m not abandoning anyone. It’s a fact that dwelling on things I can’t change doesn’t benefit anyone.
And then I try to focus on things I can change — and enjoy what’s around me.
Life is hard, isn’t it?
Everyone goes through bad times, and some have a harder time in life than others. I do my best to be grateful for what I have and pray for those that are struggling.
And then… I stay busy with other activities — like taking care of dogs. 🙂
Now you know: Brad Pitt founded the “Make It Right Foundation” after hurricane Katrina, which rebuilt 109 homes in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans. However, rot, mold, electrical fires, and gas leaks followed, leading to lawsuits over the poorly built structures. As of 2022, only 6 homes remained.