Pre-Reading Orphan Train

For the book Orphan Train, I am choosing to write about empathy. Empathy is when you have the ability to understand and share the feelings of someone else. Having empathy is a skill that I have. Everyone should try to have empathy even if it is hard, because having empathy makes you a better person and more people will like you.
  I think that having a sad experience just one time will make a person empathetic. Sometimes another person can relate to you, in the same sad experience or time. For example, in 2008 when I was 5 years old my grandmother passed away unexpectedly. I was so sad because I was super close to her and we were always around each other. She was and still is one of the closest family members that I have lost. Obviously I had a lot of questions for my mom and dad, but I was too little to really understand most of the answers to my questions. I still have lots of questions that I still can't understand today.
  Recently one of my close friends lost a very close family member. Having been through that same situation, I was able to understand what she was going through while helping her cope. I was able to listen to her and offer suggestions that might help her get through it and move on while always remembering. I wouldn't go as far as to say that I experienced it a second time with her, but I did share her sadness and listen to her talk through her emotions. I still feel very sad for her because going through another loss like that would be close to unbearable.
  My group of friends don't just have empathy for each other when we lose somebody, but we support, encourage, and sympathize each other in good and bad times. That's what all real friends should do for each other.
  So, having empathy isn't such a bad thing because it can make you a more understanding, loveable/likeable, encouraging person. I think that by having this quality, you will make more friends, because most people want a friend who listens to them and talks about their problems as well as yours. I will always try to have empathy because I know how important it is.