Empathy

"The most valuable things in life are not measured in monetary terms. The really important things are not houses and lands, stocks and bonds, automobiles and real state, but friendships, trust, confidence, empathy, mercy, love and faith." (Bertrand Russell, 1872-1970)

How often in our most distressed times are we able to experience empathy from other people? How often do we experience sympathy from others but not empathy from others.

Empathy is the ability to "glow for other's good, and melt at other's woe". It is not just the ability to listen to people, but to experience with them what they are experiencing. Maybe people are too self focused nowadays to develop an empathy for other people.

In the same way, do we emphasise with other people? Or are we also too self focused on our own problems.

Maybe the irony of all this is the fact that we are all too self focused on our own individual needs, which results in our longing for others to empathise with us.