Empathy and Sympathy

There is this piece of information that I think revolutionizes our human connections. It is understanding the difference between empathy and sympathy.

Empathy is when you understand the person both mentally and emotionally. It is when you put yourself in the shoes of the other person and connect with him/her deeply. It is when you say: I hear you. I feel you. I understand what you are going through. And I am here present to hear what you are going through.

However, coming to sympathy, it is connecting with another person in such a way that makes the person feel even more lonely and isolated. It is when you say: I am sorry. You are going through such a difficult time. Oh you poor thing. It must be really hard. Or: This is not fair. We gotta fix it. This should stop. We will do everything to avoid this scenario ever again.

Empathy is more about connecting with the person and accepting the situation as it is. While sympathy is more about fixing the situation and avoiding the hard lessons it comes with.

I hope understanding these differences remove the darkness we face in our human interactions. Because having meaningful and intimate connections with one another is an experience we long for.