The power of empathy

     Empathy seems to be just another word, it is actually a very important one. Empathy means being able to understand the feelings of others; putting yourself in someone else's shoes. I think empathy is something difficult to teach and will not always work. It can be taught by setting someone up, for instance putting them in a situation they are unaware of and letting them get the feel of it, they will then have that personal experience to be able to say "I know how that feels." Empathy is important in the world and is necessary, but is not really given. The way I was raised was not to judge people, but to try to understand where they are coming from and feel for them. In my family we all are very big on helping people out and empathy comes along with that. What I found interesting while reading "New York Photographer turns strangers into friends," is that these are random people coming together (which can be uncomfortable) and by the end of the session, they feel like they have known each other forever. One man says: "I felt like I cared for her," Brian says. "I felt like it brought down a lot of barriers." To me this is very powerful, it shows that one simple thing such as a mini photo shoot, can get people to feel a connection.