All my life I have been an empath even if I didn’t know it. 95% of my estate is going to organizations who help people with their struggles in life or to people themselves. That just seems natural to me. Although I realize that for many it is the other way around, 5% goes to helping others and 95% goes to family and friends or for self-recognition (such as getting your name above a museum gallery door).

Another thing about empathy that hit me face-on recently is that so many of my RetCom neighbors seem to lack feelings for others struggles. I have learned that they are just too self-focused on their personal problems to have feelings for someone besides themselves. I guess I am supposed to understand that, but somehow I just can’t. As Socrates said “A self-focused life is not worth living”

When I went deaf at the age of 42, my ear doctor of a dozen years simply said “I can’t do anything more for you, so goodbye.” There were no referrals to organizations that might help me cope with my latest affliction. For months after that day I felt I was the first middle-aged person who ever went deaf. It kinda feels that way again in regards to empathy. Maybe I am the only one in the world with more than an ounce of empathy. There should be millions around as another phrase for this condition is “being my brother’s keeper”. I seem to remember some words like that in a holy document somewhere. Why isn’t it more present in daily life?

Being autistic, or at least that is what the medical establishment has labeled me, I am not supposed to have much empathy. Ironically it is probably my primary personal characteristic. I have often said that I can’t be happy until everyone is happy. I am kinda proud of that feeling even if it means being truly happy is impossible for me.