I took a class that I hated in college called ‘Ethnic Literature.’

Part of my venom stemmed from the fact that I thought that I was going to absolutley love the class. This seemed logical because I love literature and I love, uh, “ethnicities.” Now I’m not go and say that I have 87 black friends, 281 Asian friends, and 98 Hispanic friends like most people say when they want to prove that their not racist and are perhaps even a white version of Will Smith (Will Smith who is of course the black guy all the white guys can agree on). All this to say I didn’t hate the class for two reasons you may have initially thought of. I didn’t like the class because I didn’t really learn, well anything…except this one thing.

There was a quote from one of the few memorable stories selected that I’ll never forget. The words came from a Jewish Rabbi (Jewish Rabbi’s are the ones that look sort of Amish, OK, reeeally Amish. But they’re not. Their Jewish, Rabbis. They also look like like Tommy and Will from ‘Men In Black’-only with beards and a bit less slick). Anywho, the Rabbi said, “How can you love me-if you don’t know what hurts me?”

Whenever I read it, that statement cuts me. It prods me to open my eyes and go beyond what I see and actually attempt to understand and empathize.

Do we know what hurts those we say we love? Do we know what hurts those who consider us “leaders?” Do we know what hurts our families and friends? Maybe it doubt, depression or anxiety. Maybe it’s discontentment, confusion, apathy, or lust. But let’s try to find out-because before we can carry each other’s burdens, we need to know what they are.
-kevin j.