there should not be a word for awareness of other sentient beings with their own needs and desires

[serafaery]

an excessively painful reminder of when this "meme" cycled through social media five-ish years ago, and I had the extremely unpleasant, unasked for, unwanted, and horrifying education that other humans do not do this every day of their lives, in every interaction, with every. single. stranger. they ever come across.

maybe this constant empathy for my fellow humans is why life seems to hurt me so much more than it hurts other people.