Empathy: a blessing and a curse.

em·pa·thy

/ˈɛmpəθi/ Show Spelled[em-puh-thee] 

noun

1.  The intellectual identification with or vicarious experiencing of the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of another.

 

Sometimes empathy is a gift; you can tell how someone is feeling and better figure out how to help them feel better, if that's necessary.  I find that more often than not empathy is a curse.  For example, if someone in your life is going through a rough patch with large periods of uncertainty and nervousness, is on edge or withdrawn, sad or generally upset.....that's a lot of emotions to add to the ones already coursing through your mind/heart/soul.  The curse there comes from not knowing how to compartmentalize those emotions.  If you focus on their emotions more than your own...simply put: you can drown in them.  I've known a lot of people, and been one myself, who focus on everyone but themselves and then wonder why they feel lost and anxious.  What they (and I) fail to realize is that if you're not taking care of yourself, physically and emotionally, you're in no position to really care for anyone else.  This is an important lesson to learn and an even more important one to teach your kids.  Let me just tell you, from experience, that its true.  For the majority of my last 10 years I put someone else first and struggled with myself on a daily basis.  Now, it's the Kim show.  Sure, I'm still empathetic and I still help in any way I can but I also try harder to remember that I'm the one that has to come first.  I guess that changes when you have kids, but for now, I'll worry about me and go from there.

 

"When you start to develop your powers of empathy and imagination, the whole world opens up to you. " 

~Susan Sarandon

 

Distracted and loving it!

Ann brought it to my attention yesterday that I've been seriously neglecting my blog.  She asked if I had "given up" on it. :)  Nah, I've just been lazy distracted.  Honestly, that's an understatement...

Lazy is the wrong word...my house is clean, the car is clean, the laundry stays done, the homework comes along eventually, the family is happy and getting plenty of attention.....so, lazy is definately not it.  Distracted fits. 

Have you heard the Carrie Underwood song "Mamma's Song"? 

It has lyrics that say:

"And he is good, so good
He treats your little girl like a real man should
He is good, so good, he makes promises he keeps
No he's never gonna leave
So dont you worry about me"

Let me ask you this...if you found a man, a damn good-lookin man at that (see below), that works hard to support his family, that opens your door, says ma'am and sir more than you've heard anyone say it, a man who sees you folding the laundry and just comes over and helps, takes the trash out without you even knowing it's full yet, makes a mean Sunday morning breakfast, pushes you to spend more time with your family AND goes with you, helps your little cousin with her art homework just to help out....and the list goes on....tell me you wouldn't be DISTRACTED.  Add a puppy to the equation and Good Lord, I'm a goner.  So, yeah, I've been distracted. :) And I love it.

This is us at the Jason Aldean/Chris Young/Thompson Square concert in Reno.  :)

I <3 my cowboys!

This would be Miss Leah....she's Kam's our furbaby and a major distraction.  This pup has more character than any dog I've ever known.  She's a hoot.  Unfortunately we can't have her in the apartment so she stays with Kam's cousin and only visits us at our place for a few hours here and there.

Ok, now really...how cute is he?!  Ladies and Gentlemen, meet my Kameron. :)

I'll try to be less distracted, Ann...I really will.  But, no guarantees.  Between work, school and play, I'm a busy busy girl. ;)