An Odd Friendship teaches a lesson in Empathy

For my final TED video talk I watched 9/11 healing mothers who found forgiveness and friendship. We had discussed the video in class on May 5th, 2011 and I decided to watch it. The talk told the story of two mothers; one who had lost her son on 9/11 and the other whose son had been convicted on suspicion for the 9/11 attacks. Basically Aicha el-waif's son killed Phyllis Rodriguez's son. But when they met there was not hate or anger just love and sadness for the loss of their two sons( Since Aicha's son was put in jail for life). But what would cause them to not hate each other? It is empathy. An interesting concept, empathy, and few have harnessed its life changing powers. Phyllis and Aicha bonded over the fact that they both lost a son that day. They put themselves in each others shoes and decided that hate would get them nowhere only love would bring the peace that they both desperately wanted. So this made me think, was there a real power above hate, was it that the power of human nature triumph over hate? I took a moment and took a step back from everything I was going through, from all my stresses, and thought of the most important people in my life and imagined that(god forbid) something bad happened to them. What I would do, how I would react and how I would feel. All I could come up with was don't stop fighting for them, don't stop trying to make everything okay. Then I thought what if I meet the Mother of the person who caused that bad thing. How would I feel towards them? To be honest I wasn't mad at them, I didn't hate them, I wonder though was their loved one alright? I believe that it is Human nature to protect the things and people that are the most beloved. I also believe that people can all connect over that concept that we are all trying to protect what we love and that overcomes everything.

Phyllis and Aicha bonded over that fact that their sons were lost that terrible day of 9/11. Once everyone in the world can bond over the common and empathies with each other we truly will have a successful future.