Empathy

Have you ever felt good because someone else is happy? Or how about sad when someone else is? I feel that way frequently. I guess it would be considered empathy - a very strong sense of it, unfortunately.

For example, if someone I care about is in a bad situation that has nothing to do with me, I feel the same way that they do regardless. It doesn't even have to remotely involve me, but if I can sense that someone is extremely happy, sad, depressed, or angry, I tend to radiate the same emotion. This hyper sense of empathy is particularly terrible in a time like the one I'm dealing with currently.

I find it odd because if someone rejects me, personally, I don't care all that much. However, if someone rejects a close friend, or even someone I don't know too well, I feel absolutely terrible. Like, what the fuck? What does this mean anyway?

It'd be nice to think I am this way because I'm simply selfless. After all, I'm elated when I help someone or give someone good advice - and I will go to great lengths to do so. Shouldn't that be proof enough? But no, I do have my own share of selfish moments.

Sometimes, I even pretend like I don't care about anyone, or anything.
Sometimes, I wish I really didn't.