May 18, 2025 – Realizing Empathy

Want vs Surprise

Getting what we want
is not always
what we want.

What we want
is sometimes
to feel surprised.

And rarely will we feel surprise
by fixing
what we don’t want.

I’ve noticed
that one of the easiest ways to get likes
is to say something that make people feel heard.

One
of the easiest ways to make people feel heard
is to bad mouth people
they don’t feel heard by.

Judging employees as lazy
may fulfill the bosses need to feel heard.

Judging bosses as toxic
may fulfil the employees need to feel heard.

Bu this only creates divide.

To go beyond this
is the challenge we face.

There are times
when we judge others
as wanting us
to sacrifice for them.

And yet,
when we ask
we may realize
that what they actually want
is what is best
for us.

May we dream big
even seemingly impossible
dreams.

But then to make steps toward it
may we
do only as much as we can take responsibility

The smallest simplest yet heaviest
burden we CAN carry.

Otherwise,
we bite more than we can chew
as we get in over our heads.

Or
if we cannot carry the burden
may we have the courage
to admit our inability to take the responsibility
alone
and ask for help.

When someone
underperforms
we can let them go
or support them
toward better performance.

But supporting them
because we’re afraid of the conflict
that may ensure in the process of separation
breeds impatience
frustration.