small Greek resort island were shocking the world . Most of the videos were of terrified women and children with fathers crying and stunned by their state of helplessness . After seeing so much pain and anguish flash across her screen , one particular video shook her to her core . Enough was enough ! These people are the same as me , they are my family , she thought . Zoë , in her meditation got the answer : “ Go !”
Using her frequent flyer miles set aside for a getaway vacation , Zoë created an Indiegogo crowd funding page hoping to raise $ 5,000 . She hit her goal quickly , mostly from friends In Sedona . While in Lesvos , funds keep coming . In just a few weeks she had raised over $ 43,000 as her story got out . With all private donations and event fundraisers added in , the grand total raised by one fearless woman who made this horrific refugee crisis real for hundreds of donors , came close to $ 70,000 .
Zoë believes she has always been a very empathic person . “ My mom used to tell a story about when I was two and she was turning over vegetables in the garden . Every time an earthworm would come up , I would pick it up and kiss it and tell it that it was going to a new home and that it would be okay ,“ she laughs .
Recent behavior studies point to the innate qualities of empathy among toddlers and young children . Conversations about empathy seem to be popping up everywhere , the topic causing deep reflection about personal values and essential facets of being human . “ I think empathy is something that has to be trained out of us ,” remarks Zoë , “ and I think it ’ s a really important issue globally .” Clearly ,
Zoe Wild surrounded by a Syrian refugee family on the banks of Lesvos , Greece .
empathy and taking action for others empathy in action is that we don ’ t in need is part of Zoë ’ s DNA . need to know what to do . But we can
After some troubling years seeing show up , and by just showing up , we and experiencing her own suffering , demonstrate that we care . ‘ I see you . Zoë landed in Burma , determined to You are not invisible . You matter , learn meditation and to work with and I understand what you are going her mind . Remarkably , she became a through .’ It ’ s really not anybody ’ s Buddhist nun and spent almost two job to know what to do emotionally years in a Burmese monastery . It for someone else . Every person and was during one of the country ’ s most every situation is different . From my tumultuous times politically . She was own spiritual practice as a Buddhist 23 and “ took to meditation like a fish my job is honestly to meet every moment — especially when I don ’ t know , to water .” Buddhism would prove to be an essential moral compass for her or when I am afraid . Can I listen in to and a path to develop her attention what the deepest part of my being is to suffering , compassion and nonattachment . have the courage just to be present
guiding me to do ? Can I follow it and
“ Empathy is also about the capacity to meet another ’ s suffering . For know ? That , to me , is faith . And then ,
and show up especially when I don ’ t
some , maybe they can only hear what to allow things to unfold and not is happening . For others , they can be be attached to results . It ’ s up to me with a friend who is dealing with a to show up do my best and let go ,” crisis . And for others , they will actually take a leap , get involved and act . reflects Zoë .
You never really know who will do Lessons from Lesvos what . I like the word capacity because it is not judgmental ,” says Zoë .
Zoë has a lot to say about the conditions on the ground in Lesvos and
In reflecting on what prompted her to drop her life and fly to ground what she saw as the total failure of zero in Greece for the refugees crisis the EU and many of the larger NGOs Zoë said , “ I think that a key part of that had no clue how to deal with the
16 IMAGINE l SPRING 2016