God, teach us to consider also how others experience the world. To understand how my reality and their reality are different and yet they share qualities of the same core desire.

Teach us to listen for shared feelings, for places of connection.

Teach us to be curious and open to hearing differences.

Teach us to love into brokenness
to give space for,
to be patient with,
healing.

Let us be strong in our vulnerability
in our not-knowing,
in exposing our less-than-perfect scary bits, to those in front of us.

Give us courage to face judgment, scorn, and hatred because of the greater good.

Let us be disciples of Essential Goodness, strong in our knowing that in each Being there is a divine light of the soul.

Give us the strength, God, to keep feeling empathy, even when we are tired and broken.

For it is then that You are feeling the empathy through us. 
Amen.