Learning Empathy and Becoming an Ally

It was just a regular day in the middle of summer. I was 15 years old, sitting in my bedroom, scrolling through social media on my phone. I had just finished my final exams for the year and was looking forward to a summer of relaxation and fun. But little did I know that this day would change my life in ways I could never have imagined.

My phone buzzed with a notification from Facebook. It was a message from a girl I vaguely knew from school. She was a year older than me and we had never really spoken before. The message simply said, "Hey, can I talk to you about something important?"

I didn't know what to expect, but I replied with a quick "Sure, what's up?"

We agreed to meet in a nearby park that afternoon. As I walked there, I couldn't help but feel a sense of nervousness and curiosity. What could she possibly want to talk to me about?

When I arrived, she was already waiting for me on a bench. She looked serious and a little bit scared. She took a deep breath and began to speak.

"Look, I don't really know how to say this, but I think I might be gay. And I don't know what to do."

I was taken aback. I had never had someone come out to me before, and I wasn't sure how to react. But I could see the fear in her eyes and I knew that she needed someone to talk to.

So we sat there on that bench for what felt like hours, talking about her feelings and fears, and what it meant to be gay. We talked about her family and friends and how she was afraid of how they would react. We talked about the world and the way it viewed people who were different.

And as we talked, something inside of me shifted. I had never really thought about LGBTQ+ issues before. I had always just accepted what I had been taught - that being gay was wrong and that it was something to be ashamed of.

But as I listened to her story, I realized how wrong that was. I saw the bravery and strength it took for her to be true to herself, even in the face of so much hate and discrimination.

That small moment on that bench in that park changed everything for me. It opened my eyes to a world that I had never really seen before, and it made me realize how much ignorance and hatred there was in the world.

From that day on, I became an ally for the LGBTQ+ community. I read books and watched documentaries about LGBTQ+ issues, and I started to speak out against discrimination whenever I saw it.

But more than that, that moment taught me the power of empathy and compassion. It taught me that we never know what someone else is going through, and that a simple act of kindness or understanding can make all the difference.

And it was that realization that led me to become a social worker later in life. I wanted to help people like that girl in the park - people who were struggling to be true to themselves and needed someone to talk to.

Looking back on that day, I realize how much it changed me. It was just a small moment in time, but it had a big impact on my life and my worldview. It taught me to be kinder, more open-minded, and more empathetic. And I will always be grateful for that girl in the park who had the courage to reach out to me, and for the lessons she taught me.