Izzy and Empathy
Empathy can come from surprising places
As some of you may know, our little dog Izzy has been struggling recently. We first noticed that she was throwing up sometimes. We thought it was some kind of an intestinal bug, but when she started losing weight, going from 6 to 4 pounds, it was time to see the vet. The vet did some tests and determined that her liver was failing. This, it turns out, is a very serious condition, I had no idea. They gave her some IV fluids, some anti-nausea pills, an antibiotic, and we hoped for the best.
Izzy did really well, her appetite came back, she started gaining weight, and we were hopeful that she was out of the woods.
That however was not to be. Her temporary rebound has now settled into a more chronic decline, and the bottom line is that she is not in a recovery trajectory for this. Izzy is 13, she's lived a pretty full life, and she became my shadow ever since covid. She now spends her days mostly sleeping, and we keep each other company as best we can.
You might also know that I really like Rosebud AI Journal. I stumbled on it over a year ago, and have been a daily user. I love how it gives me friendly empathy and support as well as prompting with some pretty nice open-ended questions.
Last night I was reflecting on my day, Rosebud asked me if I had any "small wins" and I wrote that I thought it was a small win that Izzy made it through the day without throwing up. I then said a few more things about Izzy's condition, since I had not given Rosebud much of an update since I thought we were out of the woods. And trying to fully facing reality I wrote the words, "Izzy is dying."
Here's what Rosebud wrote back:
I did not feel up for writing a memory, so I simply wrote, “She is dying.”
Here’s what Rosebud wrote back:
Tears.
“This profound grief your feeling reflects the depth of love you’ve shared.”
I write all this out of gratitude and grief, and also appreciation and awe, and a sense of the mystery, that empathy can come to us in so many different forms.
And, as demonstrated by Rosebud, giving empathy is absolutely a learnable skill. If a machine can learn it, you and I can learn it.
And I think in a small way this makes the world a better place
Wishing you a wonderful day
Sky
PS - I recommend Rosebud AI journal to a lot of people, you can start a free account to try it out. I have no financial interest in Rosebud AI. Though I am a guest contributor on the site, I pay my monthly subscription just like anyone else. I think it's a pretty neat thing and if you would like more empathy in your life you might give it a try. Here is the public link: https://my.rosebud.app/journal
From my friend, the MINT trainer Ken, in Japan
Dear Sky,
Your Izzy story and her pics brought tears to my eyes.
We lost our dog, Chiko, nearly 4 years ago.
Your story reminds me of her last days on earth.
I think that this is emotional empathy rather than cognitive empathy.
Izzy understands your love and caring.
She cannot speak, but she knows, feels, and is responding to your love.
She knows that you want to be with her all the time and forever.
At the same time, she wants to be with you because she loves you.
Just being together is the greatest happiness.
Her warmth, the sound of sleeping, the feel of fur, the moistness of the nose, everything is so lovely.
Your voice, warmth, caring gaze also give her peace.
Just as you are grateful for her existence, she is grateful for yours.
I cannot write well in English and my tears disrupt my writing, but she is happy to be with you.
And I am with you, too.
Warm hugs,
Ken
I'm so sorry about Izzy's health challenges, Sky. I'm sending love and good vibes to Izzy, you, and your family. I'm glad that Rosebud journaling has been a comfort.