“Whenever disturbing news is delivered to you, bear in mind that no news can ever be relevant to your reasoned choice. Can anyone break news to you that your assumptions or desires are wrong? No way!” Epictetus, Discourses.

We choose the extent to which an external thing or event affects our emotions. We can sympathise with the misfortune of others and find ourselves in distress as well. What good does it do? Better to empathise while remaining in control of our reasoned choice…and choose to do what you can to help improve the situation, bearing in mind that your action might not have an effect as immediate and significant as you would like. Don’t let this delay of gratification stop you from doing a good deed.