Empathy

Empathy is more than understanding what someone is going through, it is feeling with them. It is the ability to see the world through their eyes, to step into their story without judgment, and to hold space for their emotions even when we don’t fully understand them. I have learned that empathy isn’t about offering solutions or comparing experiences. It’s not about saying “I know how you feel,” but about saying, “I am here with you.”

When we walk beside someone who is declining from age or illness, empathy becomes sacred. It asks us to quiet our own need to fix or to speak, and instead to listen, deeply. To notice what isn’t said, to honor the pain, the fear, and the beauty that still exists in those moments. We recognize their emotions, stay out of judgment, and communicate, sometimes through silence, so that they feel seen, heard, and valued.

For me, empathy is about shifting perspective. It is about seeing through the lens of the person experiencing it, not the one observing it. Even when our situations may look similar, we are not in their shoes. Every journey, every goodbye, is different. And when we show up with empathy, we honor that uniqueness. We honor the person, wholly, tenderly, and without condition.

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” Leo Buscaglia

xo

Gabby