Understanding and compassion are not for somebody else to cultivate. They can heal you and increase your happiness.

Instead, hold on to your true purpose and remind yourself, “Listening like this, my sole aim is to help the other person to suffer less. She may be full of wrong perceptions, but I won’t interrupt her. If I jump in with my perspective on things or correct her, it will become a debate, not a practice of deep listening.

When we learn to calm our minds in order to look deeply at the true nature of things, we can arrive at full understanding which dissolves every sorrow and anxiety and gives rise to acceptance and love.

practising-listening-with-empathy-by-thich-nhat-hanh/