Planes, Apes, and Empathy

[aquiram1]

​I don't know if it's just me, but i often find myself in situations where several different moments in life collide or intersect in an uncanny way. Where seemingly random moments, words, or peoplet come together unexpectedly. I probably shouldn't be surprised that this has happened here at InstructureCon! Tonight, as I sit and watch HBO in the first time in what seems like forever <Netflix/Hulu girl here>, I find myself reflecting on many pieces from today's journey.

PIece 1 : children on an airplane : I have read several reports of parents and children being kicked off of flights for one reason or another and I always get a bit disheartened when I do. Doing anything with children is so vastly different thpan doing it alone or with other adults or even teenagers. For people who have never had children, I can maybe/kind of/sorta understand why it may be hard to understand and be empathetic towards parents of small children. I don't agree with it   , but I can understand it. But I definitely understand and feel what the parents feel. I remember the fear - fear of my child upsetting others, fear of my child being a burden to others, fear of my child's behavior possibly ruining another person's experience. As the young family with a  brand new baby and one not much older boarded the plane, I smiled and wished I still had a few of those moments left. And I wasn't going to begrudge this family fro theirs. The baby could wail and holler and I was fine with that.  I knew the parents were doing what needed to be done and sometimes life isn't perfect. But I also said to myself, "I hope others on this flight can feel the way I do."

PIece 2 : another airport moment - this time a husband and wife had been separated during seating on the plane. Our groups of four was willing to make a trade and began he process happily and willingly. Then we noticed we had one more seat near us and decided to ask the traveer, if they were alone, if they would mind making the same kind of trade so we could alll stay together as a traveling party. The young traveler, who was traveling alone agreed, but did so begrudgingly and in a manner one might expect from a yo adult who is used to not making changes easily. We did assure the traveler we were fine if they would rather keep their assigned seat, but off they went muttering the whole way.

PIece 3 : Josh Coates' keynote presentation this evening on empathy and how we need to be more empathetic - to be aware of who and what is around us and tomtey and keep trying. And, one of the other steps - consuming books and film to feel what others feel. <One of the most energizing, funny, entertaining, thought provoking, and enlightening keynotes I have ever seen! BTW!>

PIece 4 : Watching the newest Planet of the Apes movie (I always lose track of which is which). I watched the previous Apes film before this one at my daughter's insistence. She loves all things animals and she watched the Marky Mark Apes movie at a relatively early (and impressionable age).

ALl of these prices have come together and really gotten me thinking about empathy. Josh's statement about - if you're a jerk and you know you were a jerk, catalog that away for future empathetic use, struck a chord. As did the part about - to be empathetic means we have to face some deep truths or feelings about ourselves. These thoughts have me wondering how to move this into practice to teach others empathy. And, I think it's much like how you teach someone how to be Christian, or Buddhist, or a parent. Live it. Show it. Be it.

If you stuck through this rambling - thank you for reading!

I ❤️ InstructureCon!