When I came across the above the other day I just stopped, read it and reread it. It rang so true for me, it spoke exactly to many conversations of late about the lack of social responsibility by so many.
Later that same day an article was sent to me. The article is posted here. The article speaks to empathy and more directly the need for, it in the leadership of organizations and companies. I read it reflected back to times in my working life where empathy was either present or totally lacking. I thought about it and how it also applies to our everyday life. We have had many conversations lately about how much anger there seems to be, and anger that is being mis directed much of the time. If we are angry about the way something is being handled or managed then we need to ask ourselves some hard questions, and a lot of anger is over the pandemic, well this pandemic just like pandemics of the past was not brought about on purpose, conspiracy people will argue with that, the bigger question is why do we feel its someone else’s problem to solve that we should not have our lives inconvenienced, that our individual rights supersede the rights of the greater community. we are willing to disturb our health care systems, and many other things all in a bid to be right, I struggle to understand how we have walked away from having empathy for others, for caring about our communities and those in it. And its not just over the pandemic, Canada in my opinion is in Crisis, we have a crisis in our health care system, our long term care system, an opiate crisis, a homeless crisis, a housing crisis, our seniors are in crisis, pensions that they paid their whole life into leaves them deciding between rent and food and medicine, its shameful. We turn a blind eye, we get angry and frustrated, but we continue to take part in the commercialism that has made us and our country so sick. I was forced away from that when i was diagnosed with dementia, disability does not pay enough to do much more than barely survive, and each year it becomes harder. Somehow those of living with dementia see it all differently somehow, at our meetings there is no judgements, only support and understanding, we don’t always agree on all things but we are always respectful, there is a great deal of empathy, no one wants sympathy, most of us actually feel that we are living pretty joyful and happy lives despite our illness. We really show up for each other, we care about each others well being, we don’t see or hear the “me” or the i don’t care as long as it doesn’t impact me, we care about how things are impacting each and every one of us. Maybe having the support systems
in place have given us a gift that is missing for so many, that connection, that sense of belonging to something bigger than us. A real sense of community. I’m grateful that I have had that, the last 18 months would have been unbearable without it.
I am not feeling to proud as a Canadian right know when I see all the crisis staring at us, it saddens me that we just want people moved and pushed anywhere as long as its not our neighbourhood, its a poor way to treat others, I watched numerous people walk by someone on the curb right out my door, checking on him, he was indeed alive, no one seemed to care, the paramedics and police came and tended to him, he is still a human, he is still someones son, brother. The other night we had a robbery on the property where i live, its not the homeless, its not the drug addict, it was someone who goes home to their lovely home, they were driving their fancy Audi, followed by a very expensive truck, but we judge people by what they look like and have instead of who they are. Often we are blaming the wrong people for the things we don’t like.
We have a lot of things that need fixing, and its easy to come overwhelmed by it, but if we look at how we can each make a difference, each little bit becomes a lot over time, if we all wait for some one else to fix it all, things will become worse not better. I hope we find a way to let go of the anger, the resentments and work towards finding our empathy, and how to focus on what it really means to walk this earth.
Chrissy's Journey 
One reply on “Empathy Have We Lost It”
Christine, This should be sent to every newspaper editorial in Canada. Hugs, Debbie
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