Empathy can be a first step towards compassion and working with the ego. An empathetic nature is one of the greatest gifts a human can be given, because with empathy we are not only capable of understanding the other person, we can also literally put ourselves into the person's mind and heart and feel what the person is feeling. We have the power to make it better. That’s a heady feeling, and as addictive as any drug. Empathy makes the world go round, so to speak; empathy rides on the coattails of love and makes it “true” as opposed to “fake”. Empathy raises the baby from the crib and makes it a good man, a good woman, a friend, a warrior against evil. Empathy separates a human being from a beast.