My World With Words

Over the last two years I’ve been working, between other projects, on knitting a blanket with leftover worsted weight yarn. Some of this yarn I’ve had for years, some of it is from very recent projects. The finished project is more than 6 feet long and 5 feet wide, so you’d think there would be plenty of room for me, Mimi, and Walter. But noooooo…Mimi has claimed it as her own. We’re working on sharing, but she does resist.

Image Credits: Cesar Cat © Belinda O; Paws in Heart © Bigstock Photos; Cat under blanket © geosap–stock.adobe.cat

The other day at work, one of my co-workers, Marlene, got a call. She looked at her phone, saw who it was and exclaimed, “I told her not to call me until I got off work!” It turns out the woman calling recently had a traumatic brain injury and struggled to remember anything. She had been friends with Marlene before her TBI and wanted to re-establish the relationship.

Another colleague, Lucy, recognizing the situation, said, “that girl needs to get a life!” I was incensed. What did she think was happening? Indeed, the injured woman needs to get a life. That’s what she’s trying to do. It’s challenging and if Marlene isn’t up to being a friend, she needs to find a way to say “no.”

Instead Marlene and Lucy mocked this poor woman for a good fifteen minutes. I wanted to cry. I also wanted to say, “show some empathy!” but I realized neither woman is empathetic. They might show a mild amount of sympathy, but that’s different.

Empathy sometimes comes to us in life after our own trauma. For some people it’s a natural part of who they are, while others need to recognize what it is and cultivate it in their own lives.

I Googled “empathy vs sympathy” and got this definition: “Empathy is the ability to deeply understand and share the emotions of another person by ‘walking in their shoes.’ In contrast sympathy is feeling sorrow, pity, or concern for someone else’s misfortune without necessarily experiencing their emotions.”

In the situation above, Marlene and Lucy should have recognized the struggle this woman is facing. She can’t remember much, she struggles with understanding things like time and personal boundaries, and she is easily confused. I’ll say it again, if Marlene isn’t up to being her friend, she needs to find a way to say “no,” even if it means going to the woman’s family and asking for help in doing so. But I know Marlene and I know she’ll just drag out the situation and hope the woman gets the hint.

Not all of us have the skills to help the disabled, but when that’s the case, the right thing to do is to acknowledge it. Then look at the situation and grow from it.

Image Credits: Empathy Dice © Frank H. –stock.adobe.com; Heart in Hands © obeyleesin–stock.adobe.com

Hope your day is filled with joy! Celebrate yourself! Remember that I love you and want the best for you.

Image Credit: Birthday cat © Alexandra–stock.adobe.com

Those of you familiar with the TV show The Big Bang Theory will know about Sheldon’s spot and how no one else is allowed to sit there. Well, it’s a little different with cats, as proven here with Mimi sitting comfortably in Walter’s spot. Some of you may remember how much he likes sleeping behind the wicker chair on the kitty quilt. That’s where Mimi is now, and Walter hasn’t been able to make her budge, although he’s tried. I expect a battle later, but for now, Mimi is pretty comfortable.

Image Credits: Cesar Cat © Belinda O; Paws in Heart © Bigstock Photos; Queen Cat © Eric–stock.adobe.com