empathy

Empathy: the ability to understand and share the feelings of another.

 I just want to put a disclaimer that the following blog post is just something I have been thinking about a lot lately and could be a vent post.

 

I chose to write about this topic because I have been noticing how I will share a struggle or something I am walking through with a friend or family member and they will completely share with me the opposite of what I want to hear. For example if I am sharing about singleness and how its an up and down experience. Some days I am content other days I want to be in a relationship. Then the person I am talking to will either tell me about their significant other or devalue what I am going through by telling me that I just need to trust God (which is true ) or that I am too young to be struggling with this issue.  I think you could insert any issue/struggle into the singleness line and still understand what I am talking about. I think when I take a risk and bear my heart to another person I want that person to acknowledge what I am going thru and/or then share a similar story. Sometimes validation and a listening ear is what we are looking for when we become vulnerable with another.

 

 

Its easy to see the way I want other people to respond when I share something but forget to ask myself if I am responding this way to others. I am encouraged to show empathy to others when they take a risk by being vulnerable to me and  validate what they are saying