[The Empath] • • “The empath can sense subtle energy and actually absorb it from other people and different environments into his or her own body. This capacity allows them to experience all of the surrounding energies, including emotions and physical sensations, in extremely deep ways. And so they energetically internalize the feelings and pain of others — and often have trouble distinguishing someone else’s discomfort from their own.” • I chose succulents because they absorb the water in the soil and hold on to it. Too much water and they suffer and sometimes die. They do remarkably well with small amounts of water, and because of their ability to store it, they can survive seasons of drought. They remind me of the empath. Too much negativity in the environment can cause a great deal of suffering. But they can have positive experiences few and far between that will get them through their own seasons of “drought”. •Done in watercolor, colored pencil, and gold leaf. •