“Love isn’t a state of perfect caring. It is an active noun like “struggle.” To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right here and now.” – Fred Rogers

Last year I had the opportunity to meet, converse, and share with members of the Apple Education Team regarding their hiring practices. I was intrigued that outside of the required technical competencies, Apple considers empathy and teamwork as essential to be part of the Apple Computer Family.  Apple intentionally interviews to gauge empathy – the ability to understand and share the feelings of others.

Developing empathy, striving to understand someone else and share real feelings, is missing in many stations of our lives today. For many, society today is about winning. For many, other people’s feelings, opinions, or beliefs are unimportant. Winning is when my beliefs and values are codified or institutionalized.

We must change this narrative. We must care for one another, expect empathy from each other, and embrace the struggle.

THIS WAS FIRST POSTED IN APRIL 2018