If you believe in reincarnation it is relatively simple because then every living thing you meet was once your mother from this point of view if it fits you. Otherwise, if you don't believe that another way is to realize that all beings in the universe suffer similar to you. This kindredness of suffering can make you feel empathy for them.
As a child I had whooping cough at age 2 and then blunt trauma childhood epilepsy caused by a blow to the head in a fall rock climbing when I was about 9 years old. These two things made me feel empathy for others in that I wanted them not to suffer like I had. So, these illnesses made me a much kinder person. Also, I had very good parents who were kind to me so I didn't become a bully from parents being cruel to me and torturing me. However, I observed many children tortured by their parents in the 1950s, especially if they were war veterans of World war II and the Korean war. The Great Depression also caused people to be different too. So, from my point of view growing up I didn't know anyone who had survived the Great Depression and World war II that didn't have some kind of PTSD from that experience.
But, having compassion for the suffering of others often allows you to move forward in life way beyond the average person because of this compassion and empathy. You tend to learn from everyone's mistakes more including your own because if you have compassion for others often you also have compassion for yourself. And this is very powerful and allows you to develop your full compassion and intelligence often during your lifetime as a human being.
By God's Grace
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