I watched something this morning that made me sad. It was a news story about a man who drowned while calling out for help. He was calling out to the teens who filmed it and they did nothing to help. Their commentary clearly shows they had no plans to help. I don't know why they didn't help or why they didn't call 911 for help. But I do believe that somehow the concept of empathy was missing. Somehow, empathy appears not to have been a lesson that took root thus far in their life's journey. Empathy is important but unless the adults or caretakers in a child's life takes the time to teach and foster it, it may be harder to take root as that child gets older. I am not blaming the parents or adults in these teen's lives. I don't know them. I don't know these teens. I don't know their individual stories. And I'm not saying that empathy can't be learned at any stage in a person's life. I'm just thinking out loud here. Giving voice to the thoughts that say it all starts when we are children. That is such an important time in the helping to shape how one can navigate the world. I'm writing this to ask that those in a position to nurture and positively influence a child's life experience, a young adult's life experience, even an adult's life experience, to please do so-- not only taking the the life you are potentially influencing into consideration, but also the lives of others they may cross paths with in their journey. And one of those important lessons, to me, is that it of empathy. Cheering you on.