Antonella Baccaro (photo by Carlo Furgeri Gilbert).
CHow’s it going? How are we? Does our heart still beat? Sometimes I feel the need to draw a line under the moments that fill life and take into account the level of humanity that still pervades them.
Put like that, it seems like a cerebral exercise, however it’s about analyzing the sequences of our daily actions and verify how many involve the use of the emotional part.
But you shouldn’t cheat: everything that concerns the family, the one we have formed or the one of origin, must be excluded from the count. Too easy. Although it would be interesting to investigate how much those relationships still move our hearts.
In everything we do we decide which and how much part of ourselves to use. In order to understand each other, I have become sociable over time. Rather than boring me, people interest me. If they’re in good shape, I’ll attack the button easily.
So for some time now I have been experimenting with the effect of releasing a strong dose of empathy with the unknown person I contact. We start with the greeting, but the most important action is eye contact.
We don’t look at each other anymore: we buy a pack of sweets, we pay and we don’t look at who is on the other side of the counter. But people, apart from the angry ones, want to be seen. If you make eye contact and add a smileit is mathematical that the first thing you say the other person feels led to respond.
Sometimes I see people slowly slip out of their inner shadow to pick up that sign of humanity and attach themselves to it like a summer fountain. “How are you doing?”, the most banal question, asked with eye contact and a smile, is a key that opens trapdoors overlooking deep abysses.
No, it’s not loneliness. It’s a lack of empathy. This is the evil of our time. You can be among others, at a party, but if you don’t really contact each other, you go home more gloomy than before. Being empathetic may seem tiring but, by practicing, you realize that the energy used comes back.
Thus, I often come out of an elevator or a taxi with a smile that I didn’t have before, followed by a sincere greeting. Small miracles (possible) within humanity’s reach.
Do you want to share emotions, memories, reflections with us? Write to us at [email protected]
All articles by Antonella Baccaro
iO Donna © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED