As an empath
I can’t criticize
those of you who are stoic,
people who can’t feel
the emotions I feel,
any more than I can criticize
somebody for the color of their skin.

But equally,
those of you
who are stoic
should not tell those
who feel deeply,
and who are empathetic,
to stop feeling that way,
to suck it up,
to ignore their emotions,
any more than they should tell them
to change their eye color
or be left handed
instead of right handed.

And you wouldn’t want to,
because in this hard world,
in your darkest hour,
empaths,
feelers,
sympathizers,
are the ones
who will come to you
as your world is crashing down,
put their arms around you,
and tell you
— and really mean it —
“I feel you,”
and then turn with you
and walk with you
back to the light.