Who am I to negate the struggles of another. Isn’t it through doing so that I invalidate my own? We each bear our own onerous burdens. Through listening and empathy I can understand myself and better carry my own load. When a person is critical of me or my message what are they truly saying about themselves. Isn’t it please listen I need to be heard; which is rooted in caring? Without empathy we can only hear ourselves think and this screaming quiet blocks us from the commonality we share with every living creature. Caring without empathy is rooted in fear. Its stunted branches reach out in all different directions, forgetting to reach for the light. If I listen without judgement I can better understand not only their suffering but my own. Suffering is the commonality we share with every living creature in our realm. It makes us great. Our roots entwined we all reach for the sun.

-Andrew W.