Sensitized!!

Many a time, I wonder if we are indeed sensitive to the people around. Much has been ingrained in us about the concept of ‘Sensitivity’. And if you are working for an IT company and have to go onsite, chances are you might have to undergo a ‘cross-cultural’ sensitivity training. But deep down us, in our hearts, are we really sensitive to the people we move with? Do we understand the emotions of our colleagues, our friends, family, the grocer, the maid, the watchman?
The action could be as simple as mundane things. Don’t we see people buying food right in front of a street urchin pleading for money to buy his breakfast? Don’t we ignore the traffic policeman when he shows a stop sign thereby disrespecting his duty? Don’t we see situations where a new comer to a team is ignored while the rest of team goes out on a tea-break? There might be justifications for all these situations mentioned above. People might say begging should not be encouraged and hence it does not matter if the street urchin’s emotions are taken into account. A driver may say that the signal was green and turned red only after he crossed the stop line and hence ignored the traffic policeman. The team at work might say that one should be an extrovert and cannot expect people calling you for every tea-break. Oh yes, there are justifications for everything. But we are humans with a heart to feel and a mind to think. And when these synchronise, we step back in our tracks and look at the world around and realise how much we have been floating in our own internal world that we have forgotten to see how others feel.
Have’nt we seen people talking bombastically about their jobs when the person sitting right in front of them is fed with his work? A husband ignoring his wife’s yearning to spend with him during the week-end and going out with his friends, a friend belittling his/her friend’s passion, a boss asking the subordinate to work on a Saturday when the subordinate already has other plans for the week-end… the list can go forever.
Sensitivity is something that has to be a part of our actions- something that has to exist to make the place around beautiful and meaningful for the people around.

And when you start showing people you care, it certainly creates a wonderful feeling from within.