I witnessed real empathy in Cassie for the first time ever today, and it was beyond beautiful to see.
On a day-to-day basis, I have seen plenty of empathy-related behaviors coming out of her before, such as patting and hugging her peers when she sees they fall down or get hurt through other ways, and the sweeping smile she makes every day when she gives and shares spontaneously something that is precious to her (toys, nature, whatever object she's currently into). One of her favorite play activities is to apply plasters on the open wounds of anyone who is portrayed injured in pictures. Her daily ritual is to hold empty essential oil bottles of mine and bring them to our noses so that we can feel good the way she does when she smells them (she's a huge fan of practically all plant essences, btw). Also, right from when she turned one, she's gotten into the habit of kissing my scars and bruises, which, according to her, will help me heal faster.
It's true that I have been attempting to teach empathy for a while. It's one of the top values I want to foster in her, and I'm still finding multiple ways to model it for her in every situation. So far I haven't seen empathy in its purest form, but that changes today. It was one of the highest proud-momma moment for me :)
So here's what happened:
It was lunchtime. We were enjoying our galbitang together as a family, and she was getting bored by minute ten on the highchair, as toddlers do. So, instead of slurping her soup spoonful per spoonful like she's been doing by herself for the last ten minutes, she started staring into space one minute, then flailing her spoon the next, with fully-scooped soup on it. Most of the spoonful of rib stew splashed onto the nanny's pants.
For a second there, me and the nanny startled. Then, together, we nudged the little one casually, "Hayoo lho..." Cassie turned into a frown. I apologized to the nanny on behalf of her actions, then described to the little one what was happening in better detail: "Hayo lho Cassie, you spilled soup on Cus lho. You cannot pat or hug Cus lho because your hands are still dirty from eating..." It looked like the clarity of the situation was sinking in her mind, as the frown promptly turned into a huge cry.
The corners of her mouth looked as if they were tugged by gravity, and she was looking back and forth between me and the nanny with arms wide open, as if imploring for a big hug of acceptance and love and forgiveness. The nanny and I grinned at the amusing turn of event, and as she wailed and wailed for clemency as we kept consoling her, telling that it's okay to have wronged another and that we still love you, and we knew how sorry you are and how guilty you are feeling right now.
For five minutes or so, the cry gradually tapered off, lips no longer parted, but its corners were still sinking. Her droopy, apologetic eyes shifted back and forth to me and the nanny. When we stopped with our consoling, she began to let out a cry again, raising her arms for more hugs and words of affirmation. The nanny scooper her up and hugged her for a full minute or so. While those teary cheeks were resting on her shoulder, she whispered in her ears that it's okay, it's all good, that it's fine, so now let's get back to eating. And slowly but surely, the little lady recovered from her guilt trip, accepting big bites of japchae the nanny offers to feed.
From my personal observation, I never really thought toddlers can fully consider other people's feelings, have the capacity to develop such emotional depth, and capable of putting themselves into other people's shoes but their own. But what I witnessed today has proven those assumptions wrong. I don't take full credit of the bright young lady my daughter is turning out to be. It's all up to the God who's constantly running the course through our veins as a family unit, particularly in me and my husband as one body.
Our nightly prayer together has been for us to open every pore of our soul to let Christ take the seat, so that we can model His character and paint what it looks like in everyday situations for Cassie, in spite of our respective individual imperfections. Judging from the amusing lunchtime incident we had, it's safe to say that Cassie has caught a glimpse, at minimum, of Jesus Christ. And more than anything else, I pray that by the time she becomes a big girl, it's clear to her that placing her faith above everything else is the highest form of beauty of all.