The Empathy Exams

by Leslie Jamison

fearing the worst is worse than knowing the worst. So you eventually start wanting the worst possible thing to happen—finding your wife in bed with another man, or watching the worm finally come into the light. Until the worst happens, it always might happen. When it actually does happen? Now, at least, you know.

I want the abyss, not the verdict. I want to believe everyone. I want everyone to be right. But compassion isn’t the same thing as belief. This isn’t a lesson I want to learn.