stability

  Empathy. I hear that word used often these days. Empathy is defined as the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Of course, there is this thing about feelings, you can't see them. For that reason, they are useful for eliciting sympathy. Sympathy is very similar to empathy, but to empathize is a more personal experience. I can sympathize with others without feeling empathetic. But in today's world I am expected to empathize with everyone. It's considered a virtue when you do that, especially by those that receive the benefit of your empathy. It's my feeling that this is being used as a tool. It is much the same way a child tries to manipulate their parents. It is most effective when there are no outward signs of distress, when the child just says they are afraid, or don't feel just right. I'm seeing that translated today as mental health. And now having a mental health issue is something to be proud of! You should quickly seek a mental health professional whenever you aren't feeling right. What's more everyone around you should empathize with that. 

  A great deal of this mental health care today I see as nothing more than counseling. The real issue is immaturity. It's the inability to deal with reality, with life. Guess what, there are others that don't like you, that will tease you, bully you, use you, disagree with you and attempt to make you conform to their beliefs. You don't have a mental illness, they don't have a mental illness, you just need to grow up. You need to get over it and move on. The world is under no obligation to change to suit you. Here's a news flash for you, the world will not empathize with you! That ain't changing one bit! Human nature hasn't changed in the least bit since the proverbial cave man. It is survival of the fittest. Always has been and always will be. 

 Being an emotional cripple is just as debilitating as any disease. I wonder why it is that we are now promoting that. I can't see it any other way when we are constantly being barraged with these messages. We need mental health days at work, we need others to empathize with our every feeling, mood or attitude. Poor baby, your feelings were hurt because I used the correct pronoun, but you don't like that. No, you wanted me to say something else. You feel tired and unappreciated at your job, your poor thing, you need help. You could be depressed, here's some pills to take. There are others that have more money than you, bigger houses, more entertainment, and that's not fair. You are expected to conform with society! Well, that's not right, I should just be able to do whatever I want to do. Life is so stressful. Government should provide me with food, clothing, housing, health care, and spending money while I pursue my dreams. The wealthy people can pay for all of that, I shouldn't have to. 

 What I'm saying here is I'm hearing a bunch of whiny little brats. I deserve this or that. No, you get just what you earn in this world, that's the lesson you need to learn. No one owes you a thing, least of all the world. You had better learn to accept reality or reality will eat you alive. The reality is quite simple to understand. Know your role. Seldom will you get what you want by asking for it, and even more seldom by making demands. But I don't like green beans! And the answer I heard was, I'm sorry to hear that. I didn't get another vegetable, what I got was hungry. I got sympathy, not empathy. Dad liked green beans so he couldn't empathize with that statement. I learned to adapt; well green beans aren't that bad after all. It wasn't a mental health crisis. Yes, I learned to accept reality. It's called emotional stability. We sure have a lack of that these days! 

 I've been accused of lacking empathy. It is always by the ones that want sympathy for themselves. The ones looking for an excuse for their own behavior. It's the same thing as, everyone was doing it. Real mature. Every bad decision I make is a mental health issue, anything that displeases me is a mental health crisis. In that way I shouldn't be held accountable for my reaction. That's the reasoning. Sorry, I'm not buying that. I can sympathize with you, I've made mistakes of my own, had my feelings hurt and found things I just didn't like, but I can't empathize with you because I understand I'm responsible for that. Yes, things happen that are beyond my control. Sometimes those things affect me, have a negative effect. That doesn't make me a victim. It just means I'm alive. I will react to what I can see. My reaction isn't always right, or the best choice. I will not act like a child in the dark. I'm not going to cower in the corner crying for help.