There is a Permanent Pathway to Empathy Memories haunt the mind like the spirits of ceased souls. Stress and anxiety from daily life plague the brain to the point beyond tolerance. It is clearly evident that each and every individual on earth endures his or her own issues or distress. While it is true that struggles may vary from person to person, there is still another person who experiences similar feelings and emotions of a problem that another faces. Through the employment of rhetorical questions, the soft, steady beat of the song, and the artist’s reminiscences, the artist cries for the empathy of his audience, illustrating the undying possibility that others can relate to the internal conflict he feels. The artist exemplifies that even in times when it seems like no one can relate to one’s life, there is still always someone who can empathize and connect with his or her emotions and challenges. Obvious questions generally result in obvious answers. “Do you care if I don’t know what to say?” “Will you sleep tonight or will you think of me?” In the chorus, the artist continually asks rhetorical questions. By this, he makes a direct connection to his audience, especially by continually saying “you,” making it personal. At the end of each chorus, he states, “there is.” “There is” assures the audience that no matter what challenges he faces or what internal conflict he may undergo, there will always someone who feels the same way he does; thus, he exhibits that empathy may be difficult to find initially, but it is always a constant existing emotion. Because “there is” is repetitious, the idea of empathy is continually exploited, and the message that empathy always exists is strengthened. The serene instrumentals support the idea of constant empathy in life. “Those notes you wrote me I’ve kept them all I’ve given a lot of thought of how to write you back this fall/with every single letter in every single word there will be a hidden message about a boy that loves a girl.” In these lines, the gentle, repetitive drum beats like a sleeping baby’s resting heart. It makes the audience feel at peace by warmth and security. The soothing beat of the drum presents a consoling, reassuring tone, and subsequently, it calms the intensity of the issues the artist presents. Because the beat remains steady and constant throughout the song, it reinforces the idea of the consistency of empathy- that there will always be at least one person who can relate to his issue. Often, people are drawn in by memories and the simple glance back into the past they so often