Six Word Memoirs on Life Stories

maryjane31 says,

Absolutely! Almost to a fault, where I get very upset and cry.

Sagacious says,

I'm more likely to feel their pain if I've been in a similar situation myself. As for feeling their pain just because they're IN pain, I'm not so sure.

canadafreeze says,

Always.

jl333 says,

100%

marymc says,

I'm so glad I'm not alone in this. Thank you.

JAD says,

To the point of asking myself what can I do.

kathi_wright says,

indeed i do.

illuminatrix says,

Acutely and vividly, even regarding others who are of different species (provided their nervous systems compute the phenomenon called pain, that is). Granted, if the person has wronged me, sometimes I callously enjoy their pain (theoretically, never actually)--enter Schadenfreude--but eventually empathy wins out.

A random example: there was a woman at my last job who caused no end of trouble and stress and for no good reason, and I basically grew to hate her (I was civil with her of course, but loathed her and avoided her whenever possible). Well, anyways, I periodically get a type of migraine headache called a cluster headache. To under-exaggerate to the fullest degree, we'll call them nasty. They're nicknamed suicide headaches--not a misnomer. (side note: after many life changes, cutting out the caffeine, basically never get drunk, avoid all triggers when possible and have proper meds on hand, I suffer them far far far less) Well, in discussing these headaches with a friend privy to my feelings about this co-worker, I found myself saying, I wouldn't even wish one of these headaches on HER, and I also found that I meant it.