There are multiple options in responding to the suffering of others, whether they are strangers or significant others. They live along a continuum including apathy, blame, resonance, and helpfulness.
Apathy is a decision to give no attention to their suffering, or simply lacking interest in it. Blame is an assessment of the intolerance of their suffering, and the causes of it. Resonance is having a sense of understanding with their unique suffering. Helpfulness is curiosity about their suffering and a desire to do what we can to diminish it, its causes, and its symptoms.