Sympathy

The word “Sympathy ” drived from the Greek words syn means “together” and pathos means “feeling” which means “fellow-feeling” . Sympathy is a feelings , understanding and sharing of a specific emotional state with another person. Sympathy does not require the sharing of the same emotional state. Instead, sympathy is a concern for the well-being of another. Sympathy is a social affinity in which one person stands with another person, closely understanding his or her feelings. It also can mean being affected by feelings or emotions. Thus the essence of sympathy is that one has a strong concern for the other person.The heart that cannot be touched by the sight of human woe and suffering, must indeed be a hard heart. A hard heart is never really a brave heart. It is in the power of everyone to give sympathy in distress, if they cannot give assistance. A kind word to one in distress is like helping to hold up a falling heart, or like a push behind when going up a steep hill. The beasts of the field, and the birds of the air, often feel deep sympathy for one another when in pain or suffering.These expressions are often the same from culture to culture and are often reproduced by observers, which facilitates the observers’ own understanding of the emotion and/or situation. Verbal communication is the clearest medium by which individuals are able to communicate feelings of sympathy.Nonverbal communication presents a fascinating study of speech intonation, facial expression, bodily motions and person-to-person physical contacts. There are six universal emotions: happiness, sadness, fear, surprise, disgust and anger.The combination of verbal and nonverbal communication facilitates the acknowledgment and comprehension of sympathy. Human sympathy in donation behavior can influence the amount of aid given to people and regions that are in need.Sympathy is a stepping stone in both social and moral developmentRegardless of selflessness or selfishness, sympathy facilitates the cycle of give and take that is necessary for maintaining a functional society.