--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think we all have empathy. We may not…" description: "\"I think we all have empathy. We may not have enough courage to display it.\" — Maya Angelou" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/maya-angelou-104_courage_i-think-we-all-have-empathy-we-may-not-h_2275512.png" --- # I think we all have empathy. We may not have enough… ![“I think we all have empathy. We may not have enough courage to display it.” quote by Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/maya-angelou-104_courage_i-think-we-all-have-empathy-we-may-not-h_2275512.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/maya-angelou-104_courage_i-think-we-all-have-empathy-we-may-not-h_2275512.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/maya-angelou-104_courage_i-think-we-all-have-empathy-we-may-not-h_2275512.png) > “I think we all have empathy. We may not have enough courage to display it.” [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Empathy exists in many, but courage is often lacking to act on it. **In simple terms:** We feel empathy but may lack courage to show it. Key Takeaway Cultivate courage to express empathy. Themes empathy courage social responsibility Mood compassionate inspired Type reflective motivational When to use this quote - workplace - family - community service - conflict resolution Key Concepts moral action psychological safety Questions to Reflect On - When have you shown empathy despite fear? - What steps can you take to be braver? A Different Perspective May be idealistic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Courage Display](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage-display-924728/) [Display](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/display/) [Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy/) [Empathy Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empathy-courage-4231849/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Generosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity/) [I think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-think/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think/) [Think Empathy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-empathy-335875/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Courage is on display every day, and only the courageous wring the most out of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/courage-is-on-display-every-day-and-only-the-courageous-wring-the/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [“Dialogue is easily spooked, so you must be vigilant against fear, dismissal, manipulation, and apathy—true enemies of safe dialogue. You’ll feel it at first,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-hatmaker/dialogue-is-easily-spooked-so-you-must-be-vigilant-against-fear/) [Jen Hatmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-hatmaker/) > [“Empathy. Most people think empathy is like understanding someone else or relating to them. But it's more than that. Real empathy is the actual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/empathy-most-people-think-empathy-is-like-understanding-someone-else/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [We think empathy is innate, but it's not. It's a muscle you're working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-baker/we-think-empathy-is-innate-but-it-s-not-it-s-a-muscle-you-re-working/) [Julien Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-baker/) > [“Most of us think about empathy as a “feeling” or an “emotion.” It is. To be empathetic is to be able to feel what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-schwartz/most-of-us-think-about-empathy-as-a-feeling-or-an-emotion-it-is-to-be/) [Barry Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-schwartz/) > [I think empathy is a guy who punches you in the face at a bus station, and you’re somehow able to look at that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jeremiah-sullivan/i-think-empathy-is-a-guy-who-punches-you-in-the-face-at-a-bus-station/) [John Jeremiah Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jeremiah-sullivan/) > [I think empathy's a terrible danger for a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-flanagan/i-think-empathy-s-a-terrible-danger-for-a-writer/) [Richard Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-flanagan/) > [I think of empathy as a set of cumulative effects, ideally - that it can be a force shaping your habits, shaping where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-jamison/i-think-of-empathy-as-a-set-of-cumulative-effects-ideally-that-it-can/) [Leslie Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-jamison/) > [Looking at various means of developing compassion, I think empathy is an important factor: the ability to appreciate others' suffering.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/looking-at-various-means-of-developing-compassion-i-think-empathy-is/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [I think empathy is a beautiful thing. I think that's the power of film though. We have one of the most powerful, one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-rodriguez/i-think-empathy-is-a-beautiful-thing-i-think-that-s-the-power-of-film/) [Michelle Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-rodriguez/) > [I think empathy is undervalued in a lot of these comedy writers' rooms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nell-scovell/i-think-empathy-is-undervalued-in-a-lot-of-these-comedy-writers-rooms/) [Nell Scovell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nell-scovell/) > [I think empathy is really important for pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/i-think-empathy-is-really-important-for-pleasure/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [I think with empathy... It's more looking out at the people. And that includes the Republicans, you know the people that might be opposed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-o-meara-sanders/i-think-with-empathy-it-s-more-looking-out-at-the-people-and-that/) [Jane O'Meara Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-o-meara-sanders/) > [Something as important and central and encompassing as empathy can't be all bad. I think empathy plays a role in intimate relationships, where you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/something-as-important-and-central-and-encompassing-as-empathy-can-t/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) > [I think empathy can serve as a moral spark, motivating us to do good things. But anything can be a moral spark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bloom/i-think-empathy-can-serve-as-a-moral-spark-motivating-us-to-do-good/) [Paul Bloom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bloom/) ## More by Maya Angelou > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“You are very kind and very intelligent and those elements are not always found together. Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune, and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-are-very-kind-and-very-intelligent-and-those-elements-are-not/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I agreed a long time ago, I would not live at any cost. If I am moved or forced away from what I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-agreed-a-long-time-ago-i-would-not-live-at-any-cost-if-i-am-moved/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [You want me to do something... tell me I can't do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-want-me-to-do-something-tell-me-i-can-t-do-it/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Intelligence is a separate gift, for the benefit of students, so that they may think of themselves as intellectual and not very intelligent, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/intelligence-is-a-separate-gift-for-the-benefit-of-students-so-that/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Life is going to give you just what you put in it. Put your whole heart in everything you do, and pray, then you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/life-is-going-to-give-you-just-what-you-put-in-it-put-your-whole/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may tread me in the very dirt But still, like dust,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-may-write-me-down-in-history-with-your-bitter-twisted-lies-you/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [The more you know of your history, the more liberated you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/the-more-you-know-of-your-history-the-more-liberated-you-are/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Life offers us tickets to places which we have not knowingly asked for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/life-offers-us-tickets-to-places-which-we-have-not-knowingly-asked-for/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family, employers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/every-person-needs-to-take-one-day-away-a-day-in-which-one/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm working at trying to be a Christian, and that's serious business. It's like trying to be a good Jew, a good Muslim, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-m-working-at-trying-to-be-a-christian-and-that-s-serious-business/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Nathaniel Hawthorne once said that easy reading is damn hard writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/nathaniel-hawthorne-once-said-that-easy-reading-is-damn-hard-writing/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Sunday, if I'm lucky, I'll go to church or listen to some good spiritual advice on the television or on the radio. I take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/sunday-if-i-m-lucky-i-ll-go-to-church-or-listen-to-some-good/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) [Explore all 1,313 Maya Angelou quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) ## More Courage quotes > [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [“It takes tremendous courage, persistence, and perseverance to pursue your ultimate purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/it-takes-tremendous-courage-persistence-and-perseverance-to-pursue/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [Our young Marines of today are courageous, willing to make sacrifices, and are marvelous team players. I am confident our Corps, and indeed our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-t-conway/our-young-marines-of-today-are-courageous-willing-to-make-sacrifices/) [James T. Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-t-conway/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“Tranquillity is courage in repose. It is a statical manifestation of valor, as daring deeds are a dynamical. A truly brave man is ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inazo-nitobe/tranquillity-is-courage-in-repose-it-is-a-statical-manifestation-of/) [Inazo Nitobe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inazo-nitobe/) > [When you heed the calling of your heart, you are following your purpose. Having purpose in your life gives you the courage to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-britten/when-you-heed-the-calling-of-your-heart-you-are-following-your/) [Rhonda Britten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-britten/) > [“Of all the train, none escaped except Wamba, who showed upon the occasion much more courage than those who pretended to greater sense.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/of-all-the-train-none-escaped-except-wamba-who-showed-upon-the/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [The four Cs of making dreams come true: Curiosity, Courage, Consistency, Confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/the-four-cs-of-making-dreams-come-true-curiosity-courage-consistency/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/have-the-courage-to-go-against-the-tide-of-current-values-that-do-not/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [“There is nothing purer, braver, or more beautiful than the try.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-armstrong/there-is-nothing-purer-braver-or-more-beautiful-than-the-try/) [Kristen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-armstrong/) > [“One theory on cannibals, of course, is that they eat parts of their slain enemies to benefit from that person's greatest assets - their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-powell/one-theory-on-cannibals-of-course-is-that-they-eat-parts-of-their/) [Julie Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-powell/) > [It is a tragedy that we live in a world where physical courage is so common, and moral courage is so rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/it-is-a-tragedy-that-we-live-in-a-world-where-physical-courage-is-so/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) > [I have pictures with Morimoto where I'm all embarrassed and he's so serious, it took me 30 minutes to get up the courage to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcela-valladolid/i-have-pictures-with-morimoto-where-i-m-all-embarrassed-and-he-s-so/) [Marcela Valladolid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcela-valladolid/) [Browse all 14,559 Courage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think we all have empathy. We may not have enough courage to display it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Maya Angelou" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-think-we-all-have-empathy-we-may-not-have-enough-courage-to-display/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Courage" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-think-we-all-have-empathy-we-may-not-have-enough-courage-to-display/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/maya-angelou-104_courage_i-think-we-all-have-empathy-we-may-not-h_2275512.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/maya-angelou-104_courage_i-think-we-all-have-empathy-we-may-not-h_2275512.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b7/maya-angelou-104_courage_i-think-we-all-have-empathy-we-may-not-h_2275512.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I think we all have empathy. We may not have enough courage to display it.” — Maya Angelou", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Maya Angelou", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I think we all have empathy....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-think-we-all-have-empathy-we-may-not-have-enough-courage-to-display/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/i-think-we-all-have-empathy-we-may-not-have-enough-courage-to-display/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```