On a chilly autumn afternoon, Emily sat on the edge of the park bench, clutching a worn photograph of her sister, Lily. It had been six months since Lily had moved out of town, and the silence in Emily’s home had grown deafening. She often found herself wandering the same paths, searching for a connection to a past that seemed too distant to grasp. As she watched children play and couples stroll by, she felt a pang of longing and loneliness. Emily’s eyes welled up with tears as she remembered Lily’s laughter and the warmth she used to bring into her life. Despite her efforts to stay busy, a persistent ache remained—a desire to understand Lily’s feelings and her own sense of loss. That day, as she sat lost in thought, a stray dog approached her, nuzzling her hand gently. She stroked its fur and felt a flicker of comfort. In that quiet moment, Emily realized that empathy was about opening her heart to others’ pain, just as she longed for Lily to understand her own feelings. She knew that healing might begin with small acts of kindness, both toward herself and others she encountered.