Page 426 - KH Book 2020-(Pg 1-494)-Final_Neat

Have a little Empathy 【高三理和 庄培君】

Alfred Adler, an Austrian medical doctor and psychotherapist once said: “Empathy is
seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another and feeling with the
heart of another.” Such simple words, yet they hold a more convoluted meaning behind
them. However, is it really that complex, or is it just because people choose not to dwell
upon it?

The main difference between having sympathy towards someone and having empathy is
totally contrasting. One sympathizes out of pity and sorrow towards someone else’s
misfortune. On the other hand, empathy is when one has the ability to understand and
share the feelings of another. Both of these have the same trait of “understanding one’s
feelings”, but only one carries the heartwarming veracity of “emotions being shared”.

Why is it so important that instead of sympathy, we should first have empathy? Truth be
told, people would rather want others to empathize on their behalf than to take pity over
something the other party would never understand.

Therefore, here are a few advice giveth according to the different types of people out
there.

To the unwary:
It is understandable that you are yet to have an encounter with a situation like this or
never had the chance to approach someone in this mental state. But imagine this scenario:
You see someone smiling his or her wide gummy smile, loveable and bubbly. You’d think
that that person is alright, until you see the scars hidden underneath his or her sleeves.

You might be shocked or baffled by the sight and the truth that this person isn’t who you
think he or she is, that the person right in front of you has an unbearable and painful
story hidden in plain sight. You try to give a response towards this situation as the other
party quickly thinks of a way to cover it up. He or she might start to shrug it off, saying
that it’s nothing.

Get this straight: It is not “nothing”! It matters because it means that a life is at stake
here. And at this moment, you are the closest source of help. But like a silver coin, there
are two sides to the situation. You can also be a threat, or the last resort needed for the
other party to finally end it all. So, what must be done?

Cinema
&
Movies!

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