EMPATHY

conversation i had with my mother:
Mom: "why didnt you tell me?"
Me: "it doesnt hurt."
Mom: "it hurts me."
9+, 21 feb 2013, on a burn i got on my wrist

I am just so incredibly blessed to have a mother who cares so so much about me and wants to be a part of my life and protect me. I've included a picture; you can see the burn (which I got from accidentally resting my wrist against the inside of the oven while attempting to reheat soup) isn't actually bad. And it's true that it doesn't hurt.

It's really amazing how the smallest things affect the people who love us. It's this wonderful gift of empathy that He's given all of us, that, seeing it put into action by my mom today, I realise I've been neglecting. It's so easy to forget (but this isn't an excuse!) in our academically-driven, fast-paced, dog-eat-dog, rat-race world that other people matter. That their feelings and ego and confidence matter too. That it isn't our right to knock them down at every turn. So what if they can't sing? What if they're fat? What if they are unable to do something you take for granted? They need love and so do we. And we are not going to get any love out of hating others!

But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. (Colossians 3:8 NIV84)