(continued from yesterday’s post)
So there she was crying her eyes out over some fruit on the floor. It was ridiculous, it was just a couple of oranges.
Ok let’s go back to sports. Have a look at this image. This is a grown man crying after a sports game.
Well that’s Arjen Robben and he’s just lost the World Cup Final so yeah that’s allowed.
Exactly! So the context is very important. That picture on its own may make Robben look like a cry baby but once you understand all the hard work to reach the summit of football and what it meant for the Netherlands and fail then you begin to understand the emotional toll and can be sympathetic to his tears. So, back to your colleague and her crying – was there any more context that can explain the heartache?
I think there was. Ya I think this was her first time rearranging the fruit and veg display.
And she was excited about it?
Oh my god ridiculously excited. She stayed late for like a week.
Ok so does that help you see why there was tears when the teenagers vandalized it?
Ya coz she cared a lot about it. But it’s a silly thing to care about.
She might argue kicking a ball into a net is a silly thing to care about but you love football don’t you?
Ya
So that’s the start of compassion. Instead of jumping straight into damning her for her emotions, you create enough space to put yourself in her shoes and why it’s important.
Thomas Duggan 