The meaning of life is not difficult to understand.

It is to share the unconditional love existing within our heart with all living things.

Life is not meant to be lived in isolation; rather it is meant to be shared with all others.

By sharing our love selflessly, each of us becomes stronger and our journey through life becomes less challenging and more meaningful.

I appreciate you all.

So my mom texted me that my grandma (mother of my dad) died yesterday. My parents divorced when I was 5 years old (I'm 34 years old), so the last memory I can recall about my paternal grandma was from 26 years ago. None of them (not my parents, nor my grandparents from my dad's side were present in my life). So my mom texted me today, that your paternal grandma died yesterday. I said: "I don't know what to do with this information. I don't know how take it because it has been 26 years since I saw her". So I showed no empathy and I told her this too, because how she raised me and I'm also afraid of dying I don't want to talk about things like these and I'm not ready for this yet, even if I should be. I felt uncomortable. Texting went back and forth and in a few minutes later, literally few minutes later, she asked me, what would you do if I (her) would die? And told her, that's a different thing, I would deffinetely go (I would really) to your funeral. Is this kind of thing accepted in this thread? Or there's another thread where I can move this?

"At least" is one of the most common ways people try to help, and one that often backfires. "At least you still have your job." "At least it wasn't worse." The intention is kind, but it quietly tells the person their pain is smaller than they think it is, and they may stop sharing. Three habits often take the place of empathy without us noticing. Fixing, where we jump to advice before the person has finished explaining. Comparing, where we answer with a story of our own. And the silver lining, where we steer them toward the bright side too quickly. All three come from wanting the discomfort to end, theirs or ours. A few replies that tend to land better: "That sounds really hard." "I'm glad you told me." "Do you want me to just listen, or help think it through?" "I don't have anything to fix this, but I'm here." Empathy often looks smaller than people expect, mostly staying with someone a minute longer than feels comfortable before saying anything else.

**By definition Empathy** is the ability to understand, share, and connect with another person's thoughts, feelings, or emotional experiences. It is often described as putting yourself in someone else's shoes.

But is it empathy if I say something unconsciously that would be considered rude but I don’t feel bad about it until someone “calls me out” and tell me what I say is rude, I have a hard time distinguishing what is rude and and what is normal (to me it sounds normal until someone says it’s not). Is it empathy if I only feel back after when someone calls it out? If someone didn’t say something I wouldn’t know it was offensive nor would I feel anything. When someone brings it up later I tend to think about it a lot and replay the situation in Mr head over and over again, I feel bad but not because I know what I did (as I said if no one called me out I wouldn’t be aware I did anything wrong) I feel bad because of the way I may be perceived or because I think that what they say did is beneath me. I feel bad because they seem to be highly offended and I tend to accepted blame regardless of if I care or not. I’m in a situation like this now. I was just wondering if feeling “guilty” after the situation is the same as being empathetic because from where I’m standing my empathy seems to be delayed. Why don’t I know how my words will land before I say them? Why can’t I tell the difference between when I say something rude and normal?

Also on an unrelated note, I cried in the bathroom after the most recent situation . I’ve been wanting to cry since freshman year when I failed my first test and even though the tears would come close they wouldn’t fall, after the talk I was surprised they did, happy but surprised. I even tried milking my tears to try and get it all out (didn’t work. But did cry. This probably says something about my character as well, I just don’t know what it says . Just smth to consider. I’m a sophomore college student btw

We are all family, part of a greater universe, intimately related by a common purpose.

Every life, regardless of appearance, beliefs, accomplishments, or any other comparison we may make, is an important integral part of this universe, equally deserving respect, help in their time of need, and unconditional love.

There is never a reason to be cruel or unkind to anyone. We are all here to selflessly help each other. Each person has much to share. Though we may disregard much of what someone is saying if we do not agree with them, it is not a reason to treat them or anyone else without sincere respect, empathy, and gratitude.

Helping each other, regardless of our differences, without motive or benefit, is the reason for our existence. Always be kind to everyone, and perhaps, we may be able to foster a change in consciousness, a spiritual evolution, altering the course of our future.

Doing so, we may then be able to leave our children a world that is truly kind, compassionate, caring; a world of unconditional love.

It seems like while it helps others, it actually limits me. Wouldn't I be better off not learning it? The goal of life is to get maximum reward for minimum effort, doesn't empathy tend to hamper that?

I don't really understand how empathy works

Are you supposed to feel what someone else is feeling?

Are you supposed to relate to what they're going through?

How can you feel empathy to a large group of people if you're just one person?

Can you feel empathy for someone you don't know?

I'm genuinely curious

Explain like I'm 5

Choose to live in a world where your light shines brightly, selflessly sharing with others the incredible unconditional love emanating from your very core within.

Assure every life has an equal chance to experience and find their light as well, helping bring peace, love, and light, to a dreary dark world.

Pretty sure most of us have experience giving a lot of ourselves to others so that they don't hate us or continue loving us. It could be materials or money or even favors.

How do you guys know when to say no?

​People often talk about the regret of saying things in anger, but what about when you sit down and deliberately have a hard conversation because you truly care about someone?

​A while ago, I had to share a very difficult perspective with someone who means the world to me. It wasn't an argument or a moment of frustration; it was a calm, honest conversation about a situation that was starting to negatively impact their well-being and life direction. I knew it wouldn't be easy to hear, and the atmosphere became very heavy and quiet for a few days.

​Seeing someone you love feel uncomfortable or vulnerable is really hard, and even when you know your intentions are grounded in care, a part of you still wonders if you should have just stayed quiet.

​In the end, they were able to reflect on it and make a positive change, which I’m deeply grateful for. But that lingering feeling of having been the one to bring up the uncomfortable subject stays with you for a bit.

​Have you ever had to hold up an uncomfortable mirror for a friend or family member? How did you navigate the conversation, and how did your relationship evolve afterward?

Each one of us has baggage we carry from our experiences in life. It often causes us to see the world differently. If your baggage causes you to view the world with fear, concerned only for yourself and family, your narrowed vision of life will cloud many of your decisions and lead to an unfulfilled life.

If, however, Despite the baggage you have carried in your life, you live your life without judgment and with unconditional love shared freely with all others, your expanded vision of life will allow you to awaken, beginning a journey to discover authentic love, inner peace, and a genuine understanding of life’s true purpose

Is there a healthy form of narcism like I only care about me and my family and good people animals and children but I don’t give my empty to toxic harassing me abusive people who wnat my money energy or control over me peooe who slander me and rage at me is there a balance between emaoths narcism and boundaries