Empathy and Sympathy in the Right Hands: How Small Acts Can Change Everything

Have we ever taken a moment to reflect on what we have done throughout our lives in various situations, such as at school, within our families, among friends, or in our closest communities? Sometimes, we are too busy with the world inside our own minds, whether it is endless work, constant worries, or repetitive routines, that we forget to sit down and think about the impact of our actions on others. Perhaps, at some point, we have unintentionally hurt someone’s feelings or spoken words that brought another person down. I realized that even the smallest actions can change the path of someone’s life, for better or for worse. That is why I believe we need to cultivate good qualities of empathy and sympathy toward others.

Empathy and sympathy play an important role in shaping our character. Before taking even the smallest actions meant to guide others, we should understand what empathy truly means. In my opinion, empathy is the ability to understand the emotions, thoughts, and experiences of others. This quality goes beyond sympathy, which only means feeling pity or sharing similar emotions with someone. Meanwhile, when we empathize, we understand others more deeply and become more sensitive to their situations and emotions.

According to me, there are people who feel the urge to help someone but find themselves unable to move. They freeze, held back by pride, embarrassment, nervousness, or other personal barriers. However, what truly matters is realizing that even the smallest act of kindness can change everything in the life of the person you help. The “everything” I refer to may be their ability to feel touched, to walk again, to be happy again, to be grateful again, or to rise once more after falling. Through those small actions, we might spark a positive transformation within their hearts.

I can use myself as an example, someone who was once embraced by another person through small but meaningful actions. I used to be a very closed person who overthought everything, burdened by pressures from many directions, often blaming myself. There was a time when I faced a problem that completely brought me down. I felt helpless, drowning in thoughts full of fear and worry, losing all hope. Yet, during one of those quiet moments, a friend from church came to me. He gently patted my back and said, “Whatever has happened, is happening, or will happen, everything will be alright. God never gives you burdens beyond your strength, and His presence is real.” He encouraged me briefly, then left. Those words might have seemed simple, but they moved my heart and made me realize that I had gone too far into my own worries. Slowly, I began to open my heart and mind, learning to grow toward a better direction.

From the example I have shared, I draw one conclusion: to touch someone’s heart, we do not always need grand gestures. Small actions can gently reach a person’s heart and grow into a light within them. My purpose in writing this piece is to remind us that perhaps there are people around us who are struggling silently. It is our responsibility to be aware, to simply be present, to embrace them with kindness, and to help guide them toward genuine change of heart. (ndre)