#empathyisasuperpower

[thomashutchings]

This is my new friend Sharon! I’ve been doing this “10,000 steps a day”, walking routine to clear my head daily and stay in better shape for A few months now and as I was walking toward her on Greenwich ave, she flagged me down explaining in the quietest, softest voice over the din of traffic, that She was having a little trouble navigating the neighborhood around 7th ave and Greenwich ave which is a spiderweb of streets and cross walks. (The West Village can get a little confusing where Greenwich ave, 7th ave and west 11th intersect if you’re unfamiliar.) She asked me for directions and nervously explained that She’d forgotten how to get back to the bus stop. I could tell that she was a little anxious and lost, and offered to walk her to the bus stop on 14th street & 6th ave. It took us about 20 minutes or so to walk just 1 Avenue and 4 blocks, so we talked about life & things. She told me she was glad I was there to help and that her name was Sharon. She mentioned that she was just at a meeting for dysfunctional families and I said, well I guess it’s never too late to sort things out and she agreed and we laughed a little. When we finally got to the bus stop, I gave her my card and said that if she ever got lost in the neighborhood, that she could call me. She gave a me a quick hug and as As she stepped into the bus, I explained to the driver what stop she needed. I hope she made it home ok. Empathy is a beautiful superpower we are capable of sharing and have with us all the time should we choose to extend it to people around us that may need it. I asked her if I could take a photo and she said ok because I just wanted to share something randomly positive that happened today in New York City with you. #justgladtobehere #empathyisasuperpower #gratitude #payitforward #createtheworldyouwanttosee (at West Village) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz7RoonAWj2/?igshid=1o1h43bmxpqi8

[happylabme-blog]

No hay dudas #empathyisasuperpower #poweroflove 🌟

[racejoened-blog]

Had a black gentleman tell me I wouldn’t understand what he has to live with in his life. We had a decent conversation and with my empathetic soul I listened. I talked him through how I see it. We realized together that I understood much better then he could have ever dreamed. Gabe each other a big hug and swapped numbers at the end. #EmpathyIsASuperPower #NewFriend #Racism #LoveAlwaysWins #Love

[monika-mullins]

#empathyisasuperpower

[runcocorun]

Just arrived at my hotel: it’s not yet 1p, and there’s an older man acting impatient with the clerk. I queue up and fiddle with my phone–he interrupts me multiple times to warn me ‘they don’t have rooms’ 'she says check in isn’t until 3’ and I brush him off. He becomes louder and more belligerent towards the (young, female) clerk until she tells him, sir, my manager would tell you exactly what I just told you, I’m getting you a room as quickly as possible, but I don’t have to take this abuse and I will call security to have you removed if you continue. He keeps badgering her ‘this is the worst service ever, I travel for a living, blahblahblah’ until she hands him a key and he storms out of the lobby. She tells me she’ll be right with me with a quaver in her voice and I look her in the eye and tell her hey, if you need a minute, take it. I’ve got time, and that guy was being a real jerk.

This prompts an outpouring of smushed-together words: 'omigoshthankyou, Itoldhimbuthewouldntlisten – thatwasnteventhatbadthough, Ivehadpeoplethrowkeysatme’, all as she deftly checks me in and hands me my key. I tell her it’s okay to cry if she needs to, and wish her better days from here on out.

When I get to my room the phone rings – she needs one more signature, would I come back? At the desk she hands me a little gift bag, saying, I made this for you, for being so nice. 

So here’s the thing that strikes me: I’m a relentlessly social being, but today I woke up feeling completely drained and distracted--when I left home this morning, all I wanted was to be left alone. And I got that. I was alone waiting for my bus, alone on the train, alone in the airport, alone on a nice quiet flight, alone in my rental car, looking forward to being alone at the hotel. And all that yearned-for alone time? It did nothing to improve my mood--in fact I was getting grumpier as the day went on. This interaction was not part of my plan, and yet, it completely turned my day around. Thank you, Steph, for being so dang gracious, and for giving me a chance to be a better version of me. 

[vincyspeaks]

Amazing book....and a perfect quote. I've long thought empathy to be one of the greatest gifts we can have, and employ, as human beings. #empathyisasuperpower