Empathy is the ability to see the world as another person, to share and understand another person’s feelings, needs, concerns and/or emotional state.
Empathy is Not Sympathy
There is an important distinction between empathy and sympathy.
We offer our sympathy when we imagine how a situation or event was difficult or traumatic to another person, we may use phases like, ‘I am very sorry to hear that’ or ‘If there is anything I can do to help…’, we feel pity or sorry for the other person. Do you know some people don't want your sympathy? They want your respect and empathy!
Let's say you hear about a famine across the world. You feel bad for them. Perhaps by sending a donation to a charity to help with the famine we can think, ‘I’ve done my bit’ and forget about it. To empathise is to feel how others feel, to see the world as they do.
An example of empathy is when the Upper School has "Homeless shelter simulation" so that they can experience what it really feels like to sleep outside, go hungry, etc...Also, the 8th grade Global Village project provides an opportunity for EMPATHY of 3rd world people who go hungry, live in feeble housing, must barter for food, etc...
Towards Empathy
It may not always be easy, or even possible, to empathise with others but through good communication skills and some imagination we can work towards more empathetic feelings. Research has suggested that individuals who can empathise enjoy better relationships with others and greater well-being through life.
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