What Empathy Is Taught By A Thirteen-Year-Old Child?
A 13-year-old boy taught me what empathy is. In this article, I will tell you everything that happened between him and me.
Being a Teacher for the last few years I always try to improve my expertise in this field. I always look forward to innovative and creative ideas that can polish my teaching skills. So, I can make a constructive and productive difference in my students’ life and can aid my coworkers in every possible way.
Being in school or class, you are always on your toes, focusing on your lectures, trying to create a learning environment for your students. In 40 minutes period, our focus is to finish our lecture, classwork and try to inculcate a few skills in students through different programs like the READ program, the message of the day, etc. We always make it a routine matter. There would be very few Teachers or even parents who make a deliberate effort to teach their student’s Moralistic values or concept of empathy. But last night incident proved to me empathy cannot be taught, it’s a blessing blessed on chosen ones.
The Tiniest Act Of Kindness Is Worth More Than The Greatest Purpose……
Without creating much curiosity I narrate the incident and would request you to feel the incident and I am sure it will open your mind’s eye. All educational degrees are worthless in front of this 13-year-old child’s spiritual vision. I visited my parents’ house with my kids yesterday. Around 10 pm I asked my brother to drop me back home. My mother, younger brother and two nephews accompanied us. Then we planned to have ice-cream before going home. So, we drove towards an Ice-cream parlor in F-6. After a long time, we were having a lovely family time.
My mother and I stayed in the car and the rest went inside the parlor to order ice-cream. Meanwhile, my 13-year-old son who was coming towards the car found a man holding a pair of socks in his hands. My son is in habit of asking for things every other day. I always scold him you need everything every time and then he would say; I have saved your money now with that money I’ll buy chips and juice for myself………… There is always a list ready for the demand.
His Face Melted My Heart
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Whenever I tell him this is very expensive, he bargains with the shopkeeper for 100 or 50 rupees for my satisfaction that now Mama will make me buy that thing. As usual, he demanded the socks also. I was in a 50 50 mood whether to say yes or no, as he had already bought a few pairs. The man told the price of 3 pairs of socks is 350. Instantly my son; out of his habit asked him to give those pairs for 300Rs. The man didn’t reply but the look on his face even melted my heart and thought we shouldn’t have bargained as it’s a matter of only 50Rs. I gave him 500Rs and asked my son to bring change from him.
After sometimes my son returned me 100Rs, I was glad that he gave him 350Rs. When I inquired from him for 50Rs I was thinking he would say I have kept them for my chips and juice for which he is very fond of. But I was flabbergasted by his reply. He said ‘I asked that man to keep those 50Rs also; He needed them more than I do’.
Being Empathetic Means That You Can Feel Yourself In Their Place.
We all do charity. Everyone tries to help those in need. We pay voluntarily. At times we give money to professional beggars knowing fully well that they are professionals and sometimes we abstain ourselves from giving to those who are deserving because we lack EMPATHY. In the dictionary, Empathy means ‘ability to understand and share the feelings of another person.
Types Of Empathy
There are three Types Of Empathy.
COGNITIVE EMPATHY:
It enables you to put yourself else’s shoes.
EMOTIONAL EMPATHY:
You are emotionally emphatic when you feel another person’s emotions and personal distresses.
COMPASSIONATE EMPATHY:
It is both feeling and then taking an additional move to mitigate the problem.
This 13-year-old child has taught me the highest level of Empathy i.e., COMPASSIONATE EMPATHY, which no university or educational institution can teach us.