I have come to believe that listening to others without our own personal reaction to what we are hearing is kind to those people as we are actually being with them when we don't react. If we react we are not listening and that is like not being with them. They may react if these people need to blame others for what they have done then reacting allows them to blame us. So, if empathy is being connected to another person then listening without reacting to what we are hearing is a way to be empathic.
If listening without reacting is a good way to relate to others how often does this happen?