When I took a moment this morning for considering the topic of today’s blog post, I remembered a moment for empathy evoked by George Takei in his recent Twitter thread, as follows:
Speaking for myself and other empathic people I encounter in my groups and elsewhere, many of us are struggling to find our usual moments for empathy. People feel so angry, exhausted, frightened, anxious, sad, lost, isolated, helpless, and/or betrayed, that we need to re-commit, over and over again, to moments for empathy.
Are there moments for empathy in my recent photos?
Honk if you can find a moment for empathy among all the bullshit.
Here is George Takei finding many moments for empathy in his TED talk “Why I love a country that once betrayed me.”
Here’s one comment in response to George Takei’s momentous, empathic talk:
Patriotism is supporting your county all the time and your government when it deserves it.
Let’s take a moment for another comment about George Takei’s moments for empathy:
I’m a pretty jaded guy. not much get to me. but man that story hit me right in the feels.
I am so grateful for people who can find a moment for empathy, here and now, including YOU.
There are some people who can perhaps be understood but with whom one cannot empathise
I empathize and understand you, Derrick.
Thank you, Ann, for letting George remind us: To cherish it is to safeguard it.
I cherish your comments, my empathic friend.
HONK!!!!
HONK! back at you, Joanne, and thank you for your empathy.
I am overwhelmed by his level of empathy
People with empathy are often overwhelmed, my empathic friend
Hurray for George Takei! Thank you for sharing his words as otherwise I wouldn’t have seen them.
Thank you for sharing your empathic words here, Maureen.
What an amazing man, and citizen, George Takei is. I do so hope that all of the differences in America can be set aside to rebuild your great country once again and to overcome all the harm that has been done by so many foolish, selfish, and ignorant people.
Thank you, my friend, for your amazing empathy.
Thank you Ann for sharing his powerful words — and for reminding me of his TED talk. It’s worth listening to again and again.
You, Louise, are also worth listening to again and again.
Very eloquent and powerful words. Thanks for sharing that, Ann
You are most welcome and thank you for another eloquent comment.
George Takei’s wisdom and empathy, especially after what he went through, always amazes me, but I also think of a happier moment. He and James Doohan became friends on the set of Star Trek and one night Takei invited Doohan out for sushi.
Doohan had never even heard of it but was, according to Takei, willing to try anything and loved it.
It would be a better world if we all, like Doohan and Takei, could share and be open to sharing.
It would be a better world if there were more wise and empathic people like you, Chris.
One divided by zero could also be considered undefined. Lots of things these days seem undefined. Luckily, hardly anything is really nothing!
You are something, Maureen!
I feel you. 💛🙏💛
Thank you for your beautiful feelings, my empathic friend.
Takei is an inspiration to be sure. Finding it difficult to gin up much empathy for some at the moment, so trying to lay low at the moment and renew my emotional reserves so I can get back into the fight p, so to speak…
I empathize with you, Lori! <3
I think it’s absolutely true that empathy is more precious now that we’ve lived through a 4-year period where we’ve seen what happens to a person devoid of this precious commodity. I follow George Takei very closely, but I had not seen this tweet. I’m so glad you shared it. I have so often found he’s eloquent in expressing himself.
I appreciate your eloquence and your empathy, my friend.
I empathize with Takei and Harley
Thanks for your empathy, Maria!