Jillian Massey and the Power of Everyday Empathy

These days, I often feel bombarded by bad news. Not a day goes by without me reading about war, climate change, economic decline, political instability, gang violence, a cheeto-faced demagogue, racism, police corruption etc, etc. etc... It seems that 99% of the news on my Twitter and Facebook feed is negative. News media constantly reminds of the human capacity for violence and evil.

My Monday afternoon hero

But, every once in awhile, they reverse course and shine a light on our immense capacity for love and empathy.

Here is a story about a courageous little girl that brightened my afternoon. I hope it does the same for you:

Jillian Massey, a 4-year old cancer survivor at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, was diagnosed with brain cancer in April and spent 6 months in hospital undergoing treatment and care. She was recently released to go home for the holidays and asked her parents to create a "wish list" for other kids who couldn't go home for the holidays. What began as a modest campaign to collect 50 toys quickly turned into a drive that has banked over 3,000 toys for other patients.

A little act of kindness can go a LONG way...

We live in a stressful time and there's a lot of pain and suffering in the world. But, sometimes it's also nice to remember that there are people like Jillian Massey in it. Let's follow her example over the next couple weeks and model the same selflessness and empathy in our everyday lives. Sometimes a little act of kindness can go a long way.

Here's a link to Jillian Massey's Facebook page. You can read more about her and her family there.

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