“They Deem Me Mad Because I Will Not Sell My Days For Gold; And I Deem Them Mad Because They Think

“Empathy then is a scale where we make distinctions between feeling, responding and reacting. An intention that needs setting and resetting on a regular basis. A thermostat for our emotions states, if you will. It is not an automatic reaction but a choice; a choice we make not just when convenient but also when we are unsure but would want to appeal to our best selves as opposed to being steered by our own more rabid versions. Yes, calling out problematic incidents and behaviours is crucial but let us not be swept by the same toxicity of individual blame v/s systemic power structures when vilifying rank unknowns. This needs a moment of pause, a slight turn inwards (in-feeling) before judgment, theatrics and refusal.”

— Scherezade Siobhan, A Failure of Empathy (Published at Medium)

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.”

— Maya Angelou (via goodreadss)

If I ask nicely will people reblog this or do I have to be clever and funny or something too?

Kelly

Dancing on the beach in The Gambia