At then end of a 2 hour workshop at New College, Allison approached me and said her friend had prompted her to speak to me. I felt apprehensive and was bracing myself for a “yes but” question looking for clarity. Allison told me that this was her second workshop. She had heard the comment in this workshop from someone that stated, “Can we really use this stuff after 2 hours?”… and wanted me to hear her experience. A few months ago, she was robbed while at home with her boyfriend. As the thief held a gun to her head, she found herself thinking “wow, I wonder what kind of a childhood this guy must have had to end up here..” She looked him in the eye and felt only compassion. She was surprised afterward that her thoughts took her to such a place, but credited her remembrance of empathy as the tool that saved her life. Her boyfriend was shot in the foot as the robbers fled, so she knew they were not afraid to use their weapon. She wanted me to know how appreciative she was for having been given that insight into caring about another as a human being. She wanted me to know that one two hour workshop could make all the difference in the world. It did to her.
