Mudita

I first came across the word Mudita - oddly enough - in an NYT article about Tom Brady. At that time, I was among the legions of people who loved to hate Brady (and by extension, the Patriots) because of his ridiculous success on and off the field. The article was a turning point - I began to soften my stance and learned to appreciate (grudgingly) what helped him get where he did. I can't say I'm a fan now, but I respect Brady.

On to Mudita - a Sanskrit word that is best understood to mean the opposite of Schadenfreude, which means "pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune or unhappiness". Put another way, it is feeling genuine joy at someone else's happiness, with no related personal gain. It is a beautiful concept - and I find it delightful that there is a word to express just that. Some of the best people I've known over the years personally and professionally are the ones for whom I'd feel Mudita and who in turn would feel it for me.