APRIL 27
Can I see another’s woe,
And not be in sorrow, too?
Can I see another’s grief,
And not seek for kind relief?
—WILLIAM BLAKEOne of the things grief does for us is to sensitize us to the
grief of others. At first this is no particular gift: we are too
aware of our own sadness to think about the sorrows of
others. But sooner than we think, we will learn of people
with grief like ours, and will reach out to them.
Maybe they will be people we already know. Maybe they
will be strangers. But if circumstances throw us together
and we have a chance to talk, we will be strangers no more.
We will know immediately the suffering each other is going
through and we will be mutually strengthened and uplifted
in this new relationship.
This story continues. As others who know our story exper-
ience their own tragedies, they will turn to us for help, and
our empathy will give them comfort and hope. We will also
be reminded of how far we have come and of the common-
ality of the human story that enables us to love and support
each other.
I am a member of the human family and all in need are my brothers
and sisters.