WINSTON WEEKLY©^[1]

April 6, 2025

Vol. 3, No. 14

CULTIVATING EMPATHY[2]

April’s theme is empathy, or what Ashley Abramson calls an “umbrella trait.” Ms. Abramson discusses research suggesting that the virtues of kindness, cooperation, and tolerance are cultivated through empathy. She cites several researchers, including this from Dr. Ann Rumble: “Empathetic people ask themselves, ‘Maybe I need to find out more before I jump to a harsh judgment.’” Finding out more can be developed through reading. As explained by Dr. Raymond Mar: “To understand stories, we have to understand characters, their motivations, interactions, reactions, and goals,” which can “improve our ability to understand real people in real time.”

Regardless of one’s spiritual views, the debut children’s book by John Masiulonis, Walking Each Other Home-Zachary’s Mission: A Hospice for Children, provides a compassionate look at childhood terminal illness. The seeds for John’s book were planted during his affiliation with the Child Life Department at a children’s hospital. That experience, inspiration from his late grandmother, and a testicular cancer diagnosis led to the main character, Zachary, an eight-year-old diagnosed with cancer. Reviews of John’s book include these excerpts:

“It is unashamedly spiritual and uplifting. As a grandparent of a child with a life-threatening disease, I found comfort within the book’s pages.”

“A must-read for families navigating difficult conversations about grief and mortality.”

Featuring four Earth Angels based on John’s real-life connections, the book is beautifully illustrated by Roksana Barwinska, a Polish illustrator inspired by nature. John’s mission is to build a hospice center for children in La Jolla, “The Jewel of San Diego.”

THIS WEEK’S ACTIVITY

Develop an empathy journal focused on ways to enhance kindness, cooperation, and understanding. The resources below are a good starting point.

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[1] A Sunday newsletter and blog by Alysen Bayles to be shared with the appropriate attribute.

[2] Resources: Ashley Abramson, Cultivating empathy, American Psychological Ass’n, Vol. 52, No. 8, Nov. 1, 2021; Roksana Barwinska is represented by Advocate Art, https://www.advocate-art.com; For more on “Earth Angel” Georgeanne Irvine, visit https://sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org; You Tube, Fox 5 San Diego, Walking Each Other Home, March 24, 2025; https://johnmasiulonis.com; reviews from www.amazon.com.