How does compassion look when you’re powerless to fix a situation? How do you avoid just repeating, “That’s rough. I’m sorry this is happening”?
If you have a question about how to show compassion in difficult, everyday situations, please write to us@avery-weir.net. You can also follow or contact us on Twitter!
This episode is driven by a letter we received from a friend of the show:
I’ve been thinking a lot about how to handle situations where someone is in trouble, in a bad situation, et cetera, but there is literally nothing I can do about it. There are only so many ways to say “that’s really rough; I’m sorry this is happening to you”. For example: a student fails a class, delaying their graduation; a coworker’s marriage is ending; or someone is in financial trouble beyond what I can assist.
We also talk about I Am a Strange Loop and Born a Crime, and the Non-Violent Communication feelings list (pdf).
Please share any comments you have! If you have a submission of an everyday situation where it’s hard for you to be empathetic or compassionate, write us at: us@avery-weir.net
Our theme music is “Invisible Light” by Josh Woodward, available under a ccby4.0 license.