Damien at the Speed of Life

Somewhat of a stream of consciousness entry … with a point. Empathy is an excellent emotion for understanding and getting along with people. If the word doesn’t paint a picture for you right away, imagine the grocery store. Practicing empathy there can make you a better communicator.  When I go into a grocery store, I see all walks of people and I can “empathize” with most of them. You see people in the beginning of their lives sitting in the child seat of the cart. Some dressed impeccably by fashionable 20-something mothers and others wearing stained clothes freshly smeared with candy bars not yet paid for. You see toddlers waddling around marveling at the simplest of things like price tags. Of course, we are all familiar as well with the “tantrumer.” You see awkward young girls wearing too much makeup trying to get attention before their time. You see teens showing too much skin that, as a parent, you can’t help but want to loan your sweatshirt. You wonder what their parents think. Then you remember when you were their age and you really enjoyed those outfits. In fact, maybe your kids were born due to outfits like them ;) You see 20-somethings and wonder what they do for money. A guy, in a suit with perfect hair gelled stiff. He’s buying one small item and waiting in the express lane looking at his watch. You see a crippled person, a retarded person, a man with a large head wound scabbed over and you wonder how fast you will heal when you’re 80. You wonder a lot in the grocery store. You see 30-somethings and wonder if their job is as secure as yours. You compare your gray to theirs. The ones without any you know they dye it ;) You judge them the most because they are your age. You see the place as a giant equalizer of people. Under the buzzing fluorescent, no soul can hide. We are all just hungry people walking up and down aisles hoping for another day, week, year of our wonderful life as-is.

The next time you go shopping, do some people watching with a bit of empathy thrown in.  It will make you a better communicator  and definitely a more compassionate person.