Short Form | Realizing Empathy

May we ask ourselves
where
our responsibility
ends.

Where
the limits
of our ability to respond
lies.

Because our responsibility ends,
where our ability ends.

To assume otherwise,
can be an easy way
to set us up
for frustration
and resentment.

We don’t just
know.

We trust
that we
know.

When trust gets shaken
so
does our knowledge,
and with it
the illusion
of certainty.

We tend to associate
progress
with forward movement.

But forward movement
is not necessarily
progress
if in the wrong direction

In fact,
it may be
the opposite
of progress.

May we check
our direction
before assuming
progress.

When someone says
the same thing
over
and over
and over again.

There lies an opportunity
to explore the depth
and nuance
of the supposed
“same thing”
with the realization
of empathy.

“That’s not
something I can do…”
may simply be
an incomplete sentence,
implying the ending
“…without support.”

“This
will be
your second exit.”
I remarked.

“What will you do
next?” I asked.

“Now
I want to live
my own life.” answered
the founder.

“Whose life
have you been living?”
I asked.

“The investors’.”
he answered
without hesitation.

“What has been
one of the biggest
lessons you’ve learned
this year
as a coach?” he asked.

“That it’s ok
to cry
with clients.”
I replied.

At first,
I assumed people hurt others
with malicious intent.

Then I learned,
most people are hurt
by people
with good intentions.

People
who cared
and had compassion
for them.

People
close to them.

People
who told them
“This
is for your own
good.”

One way
to discuss privilege
is to focus on the burden of gifts
others
have given us.

Wealth,
Opportunity,
Access…

Another way
to discuss privillege
is to focus on the gifts
we
have to give.

We cannot always force others
to give their gifts
to people
other
than ourselves.

But we can give
our own gifts
to anyone
we choose.

Perfection
is a feeling.

What is perfect
to one
is imperfect
to another.

What is perfect
one day
is not perfect
the next.

We can misunderstand perfection
if we focus solely
on clarifying the measurement
of perfection.

We can better understand perfection
by clarifying the tension
underlying the drive
for perfection.