I love a good party, and I am never one to turn down an excuse to turn it up and step out in something fierce. In the absence of such an opportunity, I am more than happy to curl up on the couch and tune in to see some beautiful people show us how it’s done. That was the plan last night, when my popcorn and I settled in for some red-carpet moments before a certain annually-televised awards show. While I got all the glitz and glam I expected, there was also this, a moment that while – yes – politically-motivated, also struck a chord as a reminder of the power of empathy, not just as a state of being but as an act. As an external expression of an open heart. As behavior that reveals an underlying belief in the value of others’ experiences, including their thoughts and emotions.
It was a lovely and unexpected thing, to encounter such a lesson in the midst of what might otherwise be an exercise in anything but empathy. But, mindfulness can find you anywhere, if you’re paying attention.
Photo credit: Arto Marttinen
