Compassion

Compassion is to have sympathetic feelings or concerns for the situations or misfortunes of others.  It involves allowing ourselves to be moved by suffering and experiencing the motivation to help alleviate and prevent it. Features of compassion may include patience, kindness, perseverance, and resolve.  

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.” 

Plato

There is no doubt that this world needs people to be more compassionate.  Our country has been faced with so much pain and suffering by so many people.  What can we do to make it better?

Ways to Show Compassion

• Open or hold a door for someone
• Motivate other people to be their best
• Exercise random acts of kindness
• Set aside time to bond with friends and family
• Say reassuring words when someone confides in you
• Use “please” and “thank you” regularly
• Offer to help someone you see struggling

The key to showing compassion is to take our mind off of our own problems and focus on the problems of others.  We do not need to think “Us vs. Them.”  We should, instead, come to the realization that we are all in this together.  

Do we criticize people whose ideas and beliefs do not match our own?

Do we build a wall around our heart and keep people out?

Is our inner voice focused mainly on ourself or do we consider the needs of others?

“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” 

Mother Teresa

Our words are often the best way we can show compassion to others.  Displaying empathy is sometimes all it takes to help a person feel better and understood. 

Words to use to show empathy:

• I understand how you feel.
• You must feel so desperate.
• I feel such hopelessness in you right now.
• This is a very difficult place you are in.
• I can feel your pain.
• I wish you didn’t have to go through this.

While it would be wonderful to change the world, in my mind I try and focus on my little part of it.  It is my belief that in trying to be the best “me” and in working toward self-improvement, I can effect the lives of the people I come in contact with daily.  In doing that, it is my hope, that the kindness and compassion will spread across the community, state, country and world – one person at a time.