Letting Someone Know They're Not Alone Is No Small Thing

If and when I relate to somone without preconceived notions and prejudices I get connected with that person easily. I need to keep my mind open to relate to the other person openly. There is freshness and openess in being with that person. My mind needs to be free from my preconceived ideas and notions about that person. This way of relating to the other person keeps our relationship flowing. Empathic listening with non-judgemental attitude is the key to creating and sustaining rich and nurturing relatioship. We all need to be connected with others empatically and compassionately. Sadly we feel lonely in a crowd with people relating to others as strangres or sometimes as adversial. It is a lonely crowd syndrome. When I came to America in 1959 to study at the University of Chicage. I felt like an alien on the campus. The weather was very cold. I was away from my family. I felt lonely and depressed. There was a Polish student who lived on the second floor. I was on the first floor. As I was was walking out to attend my class, I heard a voice of that student. He put his hand on my shoulder, looked at me empathically and told me that I looked very sad. I told him that I was sad and somewhat depressed for leving my family and having no friends. He held out his handand and told me, "Consider me your brother". He as 6 and a half feet tall. He was white. He was Catholic. I am a brown colored Hindu, 5 and a half feet tall. He held my hand and told me: "Consider me your brother." When my family came to Chicago from India, he drove me to the airport to welcome my family. He beacme uncle Paul in my family. We will never forget him. He dwells in our heart. As human beings, we all can relate to each other as brothes and sisters, uncles and aunts regardless of color, caste, and creed. In the world we live in which is torned by divisivenss, alienation and hatred, we need to wake up and relate to each other with empathy, compassion and open-mindedness and open-heartedness. Namaste! Jagdish P Dave

What a wonderful story you relate about meeting Paul -- "Consider me your brother" -- a life changer -- thank you for sharing it -- what a difference we can make in one another's lives.

Love your kindness !