The Gift of Empathy

Lighthouse - Photo by Alfred Leung on Unsplash

“Dear friend

When I come to you with my worries and fears, my panic, my regrets, my despair, my sadness or my distress,

• please, do not tell me that there are people in the world, who are worse off than me;

• please do not ask me to be more positive, proactive or to pull myself together;

• please do not offer me advice on what I should or could have done or not done

• please do not tell me that I over-react or that all will be fine.

When I come to you in pain, I do not need a teacher speaking to me with information.

When I come to you, my heart needs your healing embrace as a friend.

As the friend, who is the steadfast light house in the current storm of my life.

The place of safety where I know I can find strength, acceptance and love, even when you don’t understand or agree with the course that I have taken.

All I need in those moments, is the friend whose hand is there to steady me, without pulling me into a direction that I am not ready to follow.

 When I come to you, will you give me the gift of your empathy?”