Following my presentation yesterday, I visited with about twenty high school students, asking them what really stood out to them in the presentation.  Almost every student remembered information that was part of a story. We really do learn best from the experiences of others and their stories; it helps us make sense of the information. Stories are effective in influencing the way we think and feel; they touch us on a level where it matters–imagination.

Imagination leads to “emotion“ and that’s where the power really is-that’s what drives us to change our behavior.  Stories have the ability to help us consider the other person’s position, to develop empathy or the ability to understand the way another may  be feeling.  When we can develop empathy, we can begin to care about what happens to someone else.

Empathy can be used as an antidote against cyberbullying; assisting others in thinking twice before acting.  The ability to care for others is critically important in our efforts to curtail cyberbullying and create a kinder world.

Empathy leads to compassion, which is more than a feeling; compassion includes an entirely different way of acting and behaving.  When we have true compassion for others, we have a desire to alleviate or reduce their suffering; to show special kindness to them.

We need to cultivate empathy and compassion to truly have the schools we want.  The Golden Rule is based on the concept of compassion.  Real-life stories nurture the seeds of compassion, empathy, knowledge, and awareness; which in turn can reduce the incidences of cyberbullying.