Empathy is a current buzzword in education.  In addition to growing the academic prowess of our youth, how do we nurture a genuine concern and care for others?  While this may be a topic of emphasis right now, the necessity to place ourselves in the shoes of another human being to understand their situation…is not new.  As wonderful as life can be, heartache is a reality that unfortunately finds its way to almost every human on this Earth. 

In one of my most favorite youth novels of all time, The Giver by Lois Lowry, a fictional society establishes a structure to shield its citizens from emotions (hatred, pain, loss, and even love) by having a single elder in the community serve as the curator of all memories associated with feelings.  The story focuses on a young boy named Jonah who is identified as the “Receiver,” the person to whom memories will be transferred.  Near the end of the story, the Giver shares, “The worst part of holding the memories is not the pain.  It’s the loneliness of it.  Memories need to be shared.”  When we are there for each other, and allow someone to share their excitement, or their pain, we function in a state of emphathy.

At one point in my life I learned that each and every one of us has and will likely continue to suffer distress of some kind.  While on the outside a person may wear a smile and seem skillfully put together, that is often what that individual needs to do to get through the day.  This is why I remind myself to think before I react to any situation.  When interacting with others, I try to keep in mind that I have no idea how that person’s morning started, the phone call they might have received sharing devastating news, or the long night they may have ahead of them. 

Empathy is an abstract concept to teach.  We can define it, read about it, and even discuss it.  The internalization of empathy however comes with time and experiences.  It is not necessary to be the recipient of pain to establish an understanding of empathy.  As adults, we can create opportunities for our children to engage in acts of kindness for others and open into the dialogue that life’s journey is quite different for many people.

This Friday night, at 5:30pm in the multi, numerous Almond families will gather to put together Blessing Bags for the Homeless. Homelessness and hunger are realities that many of us grapple to understand.  We have a great many blessings in our lives and it seems unfathomable that one might find themselves without a roof over their head or food in their bellies.  While the root cause of such realities is sure to generate varied opinions, the stark truth remains that many people are homeless or hungry, some even children.

The Blessing Bags event is structured in such a way that it brings us together as a community in service of others.  We encourage you to bring dinner, or have pizza delivered, and to enjoy time together as we create care packages for those who need them.  It’s also a wonderful opportunity to talk with our children about why we are doing what we are doing and to plant a seed of empathy inside of their hearts that may potentially grow and bloom into a beautiful tree!

I extend a heartfelt thanks to Polly Liu and Shail Sirkay for their leadership in organizing this event.  The outpouring of support in terms of materials needed has been heartwarming.  Project WeHOPE will participate as well and share the impact these Blessing Bags will have on the life of another human being.

It is a true gift to be part of this remarkable Almond community!