Empathy.

In today's world, especially at the high school level, many people lack empathy. The ability to understand and respect other people's actions and beliefs is an ability that develops slowly (if at all) as a person gains maturity and experience. It is easy for us to look at the problems in our own lives and feel sorry for ourselves; however, applying that experience to others and then using this consideration as an opportunity for growth is something that does not come as naturally. Although most ten-year-olds do not have the emotional maturity to feel truly empathetic toward other human beings, I do not think that it is unreasonable to believe that empathy may start to develop at such an early age. If I had to give advice to a ten-year-old, I would urge him or her to try to see the world from someone else's point of view - to understand why people do what they do. It's often hard to grasp the motivation behind people's actions, but I think that considering such things in everything I see or read - fiction or otherwise - can help to make me a better person.