How to Embrace the Beauty and Magic of Empathy

How to Embrace the Beauty and Magic of Empathy

Wednesday, August 26, 2015

 

I was wearing this outfit a few weeks ago, thinking about where to photograph my favorite black dress the next time I wore it, when the most surprisingly impactful event occurred and I could not thinking of anything else till it was written. Whenever I wear this dress now I am reminded of my thoughts that day, so I decided this was the best time to share it.

Dress: Free People (old)

Hat: Urban Outfitters (old) 
Boots: Thrifted Jessica Simpson

 
The other day as I was driving to the most beautiful and magical place in the world (the library) I observed an avalanche of misfortune. The kind of horrible even that causes a stirring in my belly and a wash of sympathy to fall onto me like a summer waterfall. For the rest of the drive I could only focus on this itching in my heart to write.

Two men on the side of road glistened as I changed lanes, their faces full of sorrow and heat induced misery. Two men under arrest, in handcuffs, about to embark on the short ride downtown. I have never seen such sad faces. I know that many would say they don’t deserve my sympathy for having the unsavory character needed for committing crimes. Rotten people deserve punishment. After all, do we not toss spoiled lettuce into the bin or grass clippings in the compost? You get what you ask for.

I am not one of those people. All I could think about was what could have persuaded these poor men to take such measures. Extreme circumstances bring cause for extreme actions done by people who feel like they don't have other options. Very few, if any, people are truly and utterly rotten. Always remember that.

As I faced the stop and go of the heat soaked evening rush, I wondered what kind of trauma these men have seen in their lives. Have they faced addiction issues? Hunger? Perhaps it’s simply a broken heart, smashed by a lover who has left or a child that passed away. At the very least, their hearts are broken now. Maybe the spirit too. I hope my spirit never dies and that is why I always try to look beyond the first page of a book, the first segment of a human’s story. Everyone needs someone to help with the wash every once in a while.

Maybe someone just needed to invite these men in for tea and give a listening ear. Either way, make it a goal to be more understanding of people, to consider the whys in life and the causes. While everyone must face the consequences of their actions, a little sympathy goes a long way in someone's life.

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