Gimme An M, Gimme A Path, Gimme An Eeeeeee

Photo taken three days after terminal cancer diagnosis.

Photo taken three days after my dog’s terminal cancer diagnosis. I knew empathy was my first step to helping her.

“When you hear about what someone else is going through, and you are unable to distance yourself from it or in any way muzzle your empathy and are inspired to actually do something, these are moments to learn from.” Henry Rollins

I know the gods of social media dictate that I am supposed to write at least one post each week. I love to write, and I love to hear how my writing is helping others to raise their awareness of the topics I address.

Thing is, I can’t write something for us until I write something for me. I’ve hit my limit on hearing others tell me I’m strong, brave or inspirational. I’ve hit my limit on hearing others tell me I’m respected.

So what’s wrong with being told these things?

You know the quote by good old Anonymous? “When we love, we admire with the heart.”

Does the momentary admiration of someone’s mind get me back my ability to fully be in my life, post-stroke?

I’m a person, not a museum piece. Museum pieces probably don’t care whether or not you love them or even whether or not you admire them. People like me who are recovering from major illness care whether or not you love us, and we care a lot. Love is the missing link in healing.

Have you ever lived on a pedestal? There’s no place to charge your phone, there’s no food, forget sleeping comfortably on marble, and there’s no room to use even the smallest elliptical trainer. And, oh yeah, it’s freaking lonely up there.

I’ve spent a lot of my life savings on a variety of healing modalities. My intention has been to find whatever I need to help me get my life all the way back. These healing modalities have helped, and they have helped a lot.

That being said, I was the recipient of two marvelous hugs a few months ago that did more for me and my recovery in a few minutes than most of the nutritional supplements I’ve taken during the past four years.

I’ve made an incredible recovery to date, and I believe that sharing my story helps many more people than me. For God’s sake, please don’t admire me with your mind for making myself the example of bravery, of strength, of spirit. In the words of my hero for today, Orson Scott Card, I’ve “had so much damn respect (I) wanted to scream.”

Instead of admiring me or any other survivor of major illness with your mind, find one of the many, many people or animals in your life who ache to be loved and supported as they find their way into a very different life. Admire them with your heart. You know. Love them. Make some sort of a commitment to be there for them, a commitment that works for both of you.

Hey, even Superman needed help.

Before real love is possible, empathy has to happen.

What is empathy? I’m sharing some quotes that, I hope, will spur you into action.

Do something for others besides admire them with your mind. Warm them with your love.

“As love without esteem is capricious and volatile, esteem without love is languid and cold.” Jonathan Swift

Need more encouragement to feel? Here you go:

“The truest form of love is how you behave toward someone, not how you feel about them” Steve Hall

“Respect was invented to cover the empty place where love should be.” Leo Tolstoy, “Anna Karenina”

“Friendship is thinking of the other person first.” George Alexiou

“Empathy is about finding echoes of another person in yourself.” Mohsin Hamid

“Because a human being is endowed with empathy, he violates the natural order if he does not reach out to those who need care. Responding to this empathy, one is in harmony with the order of things, with dharma; otherwise, one is not.” Dayananda Saraswati

“Humans aren’t as good as we should be in our capacity to empathize with feelings and thoughts of others, be they humans or other animals on Earth. So maybe part of our formal education should be training in empathy. Imagine how different the world would be it, in fact, that were ‘reading, writing, arithmetic, empathy.'” Neil deGrasse Tyson

“Empathy is really the opposite of spiritual meanness. It’s the capacity to understand that every way is both won and lost. And that someone else’s pain is as meaningful as your own.” Barbara Kingsolver

“Human morality is unthinkable without empathy.” Frans de Waal

“I’ve been fascinated by the idea that evil is the absence of empathy.” John Connolly

“I think we are living in selfish times. I’m the first one to say that I’m the most selfish. We live in the so-called ‘first world,’ and we may be first in a lot of things like technology, but we are behind in empathy.” Javier Barden

“A lack of empathy is the biggest crime of all.” A.S.L.

Are you finding your way back to life? Are you wanting an infusion of let’s-get-back-to-living- spirit? Did reading this blog light you up? Good! I invite you to visit www.TransformingThroughLove.com and learn about the professional services I offer. Let’s schedule a free consult to see if we’re a match for each other.

Copyright 2016 by Sheryl Hirsch-Kramer. All rights for any further use reserved. For permission to repost or reuse the above only in its entirety, fill out this form: http://www.transformingthroughlove.com/contact/ The information presented at www.TransformingThroughLove.com and during coaching sessions is of a general nature and is not intended to be use as legal, medical or professional advice. None of the information on this website is intended as a substitute for the counsel of a qualified doctor/physician, nurse, pharmacist, or other trusted health professional. Always contact your own health care provider to assist you with your medical or health issues. The information presented here is only meant to support you while you are being cared for by your own health care provider during your life’s journey. It is not intended to be used as stand alone legal, medical or professional advice. We cannot and will not take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented on this web site as legal, medical, or professional advice.Always consult your physician or trusted health professional to design a treatment plan for your own or for someone else’s wellness. All the information on this website is intended solely as loving support intended to accompany traditional medical care, not as stand-alone advice. We appreciate your donations; please send a message via the contact form for donation instructions.If you like what you’re reading here, please forward this website to a friend: http://www.transformingthroughlove.com.

Catalytic Radio, empathy, Healing Through Love and Friendship, How Love Heals, Learning Conscious Love, Sheryl Hirsch-Kramer, Transforming Through Love Coaching, Transforming Through Love Sessions, Transforming Through Love Stroke Recovery

Gimme An M, Gimme A Path, Gimme An Eeeeeee

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