Empathy and Understanding

“Sometimes all a person wants is an empathetic ear; all he or she needs is to talk it out. Just offering a listening ear and an understanding heart for his or her suffering can be a big comfort.” Roy T. Bennett

Merriam-Webster defines empathy as “the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another.”  In the definition is the word “action” which means something is being done intentionally.

One of our greatest needs as humans is the feeling of being understood.  Having empathy for someone doesn’t automatically mean that you agree with someone’s position on an issue, or even their behavior.  But it does mean taking the time to understand what is going on and how the other person in the equation is feeling.

In the hurry of trying to do life, it’s easy to get caught up in the emotions and pressures that lead each of us to come to conclusions about others quickly, and sometimes without a deep level of understanding.  This can be even more pronounced in the fire service when our “tribe” is spread across multiple shifts and multiple stations.

We see and hear things that often get taken out of context and misunderstood as we pass each other at shift change or during an incident.  We make assumptions based upon an “I heard” that gets shared at the dinner table.

Making an intentional effort to understand those around us (patients and co-workers) builds positivity, trust, and inclusion into the environment.  This requires asking questions with an intent to hear what others are saying and not an intent to get a point across.

My encouragement is to intentionally identify someone that you may have “heard” something about and get to know them a little better.  Take the time to understand them and see their perspective, even if you don’t agree with their thoughts and beliefs.

“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