One of the most powerful tools that is available to humankind in order to fulfill our demands to humanity is empathy. In this era, it seems to be easier for someone to disconnect from others. Some people even get so busy with pursuing after things that they do not see the needs of others even the people around them. This is why empathy becomes fundamental. Empathy is simply the ability of someone to understand and share the feelings of another person. I have come to realise that when you show empathy for someone, and when you are present for them in the time of need, you will transform their life in ways you cannot even imagine.
Being a present help goes a long way beyond being just physically present. It includes other things like giving them listening ears without being quick to judge them, offering support and assistance to them without expecting anything in return, and responding to their needs with passion. The help you give to someone in the time of need might be what will change their life forever. You will be surprised how even a little support could be what someone is living for, and might be what will revive their hope in life. You may not have the whole world before you help someone. As long as it is in your heart, you will see that what you have at hand will be enough to help someone.
Something as little as a kind gesture can be what will sustain someone's hope. I once read a touching story about someone who got tired of life and made up his mind to end it by jumping off the bridge. On the day he was going to end it all, he wrote a note and kept, which read "I will not do it if someone smiles to me along the road." The note was found after a very long time of the incident - very sad incident indeed. Which means that something as little as a smile from even a random person would have kept him alive and would have restored hope back to him. This shows that even the very little things of life can actually mean the world for someone else. This is the power of being a present help for someone in the time of need.
You will be surprised how a small empathy that you show can create a ripple effect. Take for an example; a little conversation you hold with someone who is lonely, and by giving them listening ears, you can restore their hope. Or maybe helping a colleague at work when the task is overwhelming them can restore their confidence. Even offering a heart-felt smile or a kind word to someone in distress can lessen the burden on their shoulders. Empathy in action is realising that almost everyone you meet is fighting some battles that you may not even know about, and your support can help them to pull through.
Showing empathy does not only positively impact on the receiver but on you the giver. It strengthens your own character. It also has a way of teaching patience, understanding, and humility. It also reminds you of the need to interconnect with humans, and the importance of community. When you invest your time, energy, and resources to help others, you will create a bond of trust, love, and respect that will make both their life and your life better. I have come to understand that you are also a beneficiary of the empathy that you show to others. Empathy does not only change others, it also changes you.
It is worthy to note that practising empathy requires a form of courage. There are times that you may even need to step out of your comfort zone and make sacrifices for even the people you are not close with. It might also require you to suspend your judgment and help even when it may not be convenient. Understand that everyone, irrespective of their level and position, has the capacity to make a difference. When you show empathy, you are not just fulfilling the demands of humanity, but you are also setting a precedence for others to follow. By that, the world will become a better place.
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