As a young child, I admired clever people. I thought it was so inspiring that doctors and lawyers knew so much, that there were philosophers and astronomers who searched the universe to answer their questions about unexplained mysteries, life, death, and entire galaxies.
Now that I’m older, I understand that those people who seemed to me to know so much, when I was younger, may not know any more than I do.
I admit that I’m not well-versed nor am I a philosopher, but I think that I could be if I wanted to be. I think that I’m just as capable as anyone else to be a philosopher, an astronomer, or a lawyer.
However, these “intellectuals” are mostly condescending and pretentious. I know that these “intellectuals” are more intelligent in a certain subject, but I don’t know if anyone actually knows what they’re talking about. I think anyone who claims to know everything about a certain subject could be lying straight to my face. They just have a certain label that comes along with their name that gives them a higher power above me, a power to the certain degree that I no longer question what they say and instead take it for granted.
Due to this, I have learned to admire kind people. I admire those who are present in the moment, empathetic, and understanding towards their loved ones as well as those around them.
This is a skill that I have seen in increasingly less people over my life. As I grow older, I have found that more people are tense when it comes to compassion and less people are able to show such raw emotion, especially in a way that is conducive to a relaxed atmosphere where others around them can relax.
Empathy is a practice. It is important to share the feelings of others and to, in such a way, understand others and those emotions that circle around the globe, in every person, and in every city of every country.
A world without empathy would not survive long, in my opinion. That it is why I admire those who care. I admire those who can understand others and comfort them in a way that I have not yet learned, since I am so young. I admire them because empathy is enlightening. It is an important thing that should be taught to children, along with teaching them how to eat, walk, or talk. Empathy should be explained as children are exposed to their emotions and the emotions of those around them.
When we experience others' pain, we no longer see them as others, we see them as ourselves. Whenever we do this, we close the distance between each other and, in so doing, become more human along the way. It teaches us a different perspective and a compassionate outlook that leads to solutions to conflicts.
Everyone in the world, no matter where you are or your social, political, or economic standing, is often more alike to you than they are different. We are all human and we are all experiencing this life. This is an essential part of nature.
That is why I have stopped looking up to “intellectuals.” Now, instead, I look up to people like me. I look up to those people who understand their friends, family, and others. I look up to people who practice empathy and succeed in doing so, a succinct skill which is much more valuable than anything I have ever known.
