I read once that empathy is not an
innate human trait. We have to teach
caring and compassion to our children through example and touch.
It makes sense if we can teach
our children to be cruel and prejudiced, we can teach them kind and
understanding as well.
My mother was raised in dire
poverty. She was the second oldest and
at the age of 14 she finished the 8th grade and went to work as a
house maid to help her mother support her four siblings. They went on to finish
high school but she sacrificed her dreams to help her family survive. She cared
for my grandmother until she died.
My 8-year-old grandson hears his
little sister cry. She has fever and a
terrible respiratory infection and my little grandboy tells me his heart breaks
when he hears her cry. He says he wishes
he were the one ill instead of her.
I never understood the golden
rule about “love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Until now.
Empathy, kindness, and
understanding starts with us, and when we demonstrate it to others, we pass it
on.
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