Empathy is the ability to understand and share another person's feelings by seeing a situation from their perspective—often described as "walking a mile in someone else's shoes."

Practicing empathy can be challenging because everyone has different life experiences, beliefs, and emotions, making it difficult to fully understand what someone else is going through. Empathy is often confused with sympathy, but they are different. Sympathy means feeling sorry for someone or recognizing their pain, while empathy means trying to understand how they feel.

Although neither automatically requires action, empathy is more likely to inspire compassionate actions, such as listening, offering support, or helping someone in need.

True empathy also takes time and sacrifice. It requires slowing down, setting aside our own assumptions, listening with patience, and being willing to invest in another person's well-being. Choosing empathy over judgment strengthens relationships, builds trust, and creates a more caring and compassionate community.

-Rebecca d. Fraiz, LSSM