Caring about others, running the risk of feeling, and leaving an

“Caring about others, running the risk of feeling, and leaving an impact on people, brings happiness.” Thus spoke Harold Kushner, the wise rabbi and author who sought to heal the human heart through understanding, compassion, and courage. In this profound declaration, he reveals a truth that transcends time and culture — that happiness does not come from the safety of indifference, but from the risk of love. To care about others is to open one’s heart to both joy and pain, to the sweetness of connection and the sorrow of loss. Yet it is only in this openness, in this sacred vulnerability, that the soul truly comes alive.

The origin of these words lies in the hard-earned wisdom of Kushner’s own life. He was not a philosopher writing from ivory towers, but a man who had walked through the valley of suffering. When his young son was struck by a rare disease that would take his life, Kushner faced the question that haunts all who love deeply: why must goodness and pain coexist? From that crucible of grief emerged his most famous work, When Bad Things Happen to Good People — a testament not of despair, but of faith renewed through compassion. It was through pain that he discovered the secret of happiness: that joy is not found in escaping sorrow, but in embracing life fully, with all its risk and all its feeling.

To care is to make oneself vulnerable, for in loving others we surrender the illusion of control. The one who truly feels risks being wounded by rejection, by misunderstanding, by loss — yet the one who refuses to feel suffers a far greater wound: the emptiness of isolation. Many go through life building walls around their hearts, believing that safety is peace. But Kushner reminds us that such safety is barren ground. A heart that does not risk love cannot know happiness, for joy and sorrow are woven together as light and shadow. To live without feeling is to exist without meaning — a quiet despair disguised as calm.

The ancients understood this truth. In the legends of old, heroes were not those who conquered without pain, but those who loved despite it. Consider Antigone, who defied a king’s decree to honor her fallen brother. Her act was not without cost, but her courage sprang from care — from the unyielding love of family and duty. Her tragedy was great, but her spirit was eternal, for she lived and died with purpose. So too, Kushner teaches us, the one who cares deeply leaves a mark on the world that endures beyond their days. To leave an impact on people — to lift, to comfort, to inspire — is the truest legacy a soul can offer.

And yet, to feel is not always easy. The world can be cruel, indifferent, and cold. Those who love openly often bleed. But what is the alternative? To close the heart is to die before death. The one who risks feeling may be hurt, yes — but they also know the warmth of belonging, the beauty of gratitude, the serenity of shared humanity. To weep for another’s sorrow or rejoice in another’s triumph — these are not weaknesses, but signs of divine strength. For the heart that dares to feel reflects the very compassion of the Creator.

Consider the example of Mother Teresa, who walked among the dying and the forgotten in the streets of Calcutta. She once said, “The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved.” Though surrounded by suffering, she radiated joy. Why? Because her happiness was not built on comfort, but on service. She cared deeply, she felt deeply, and through her care she left an impact that changed the lives of millions. Like Kushner, she proved that happiness is not the absence of pain, but the presence of purpose.

Therefore, my children, remember this sacred wisdom: do not be afraid to care. Do not shield yourself from the world in the name of peace. The greatest peace is born not from avoidance, but from love fulfilled. Run the risk of feeling. Let compassion move your actions and empathy guide your words. Help others not for reward, but because their joy and pain are also your own. In every act of kindness, you build bridges between souls; in every moment of genuine feeling, you draw closer to the heart of life itself.

And let the words of Harold Kushner be engraved upon your spirit: “Caring about others, running the risk of feeling, and leaving an impact on people, brings happiness.” This is not a mere saying, but a map to a life of depth and meaning. Give, and you will receive joy. Love, and you will be transformed. Feel, and though your heart may ache, it will also soar. For it is only by daring to care that we become fully alive — and it is only through love that we touch the eternal.