Empathy is stepping into someone's world, understanding, sharing, and connecting with them.
Empathy is experiencing their emotions, perspectives, and struggles without judgment even though you’re not in agreement.
Empathy is human, it’s connecting.

Pity on the other hand tends to come from a position of superiority or condescension.
It’s feeling sadness from witnessing another person’s suffering or misfortune.
You may feel sorry for them, but not necessarily understand or connect with their emotions. It might even come from a sense of distance or detachment from the person’s experience and may not lead to a desire to actively help or support them.

Empathy is a choice.
A choice to lead and connect and engage.

Empathy is productive. Pity is not.