Compassion

All people should master the skill of compassion. Compassion is a skill people tend to overlook and do not care a lot about, but yet if all people took the time out to be compassionate to one another, then there would be a great deal of harmony all over the world. Compassion is a human emotion prompted by the pain of others, and wants others to be free from suffering. In the Bible compassion is affirmed by the commandment, “Do unto other as you would have them do unto you”. If people took the time out to master the skill of compassion then the world would progress to a compassionate place. Compassion is the desire to ease another person’s sufferings. We as humans can show compassion in many different ways. Being generous, providing service for another, kindness and caring are just a few ways you can show compassion for another person. Compassion is prepared to meet others wherever they are, recognizing that the circumstance or challenge they now face is as much a part of their life as any other part. Compassion can laugh or cry, joke or commiserate, be curious and inquisitive, chatty or silent. Compassion is not afraid to be fully present, hopeful, or lighthearted. It does not turn away, or is never afraid to see beauty or find humor or share a fractured heart. Compassion arises out of the deepest, most pure essence of humanity. And yet it is not magic, not some unreachable thing that you have to be a monk or nun to understand. You feel it and act on it every day. Almost all of us have held a door for someone juggling a lot of packages. We have an instinctive reaction that stops a toddler who's headed into the street - even if we've never met that toddler before. When you read to your children, the underlying feeling is compassion. When you laugh with a friend, it's compassion that allows you to laugh. When you cry at a sad movie, it's compassion that makes your feelings parallel to the ones on the screen. Even cheering at a football game arises out of compassion, because you "catch" the excitement from your fellow fans and from the action on the field. I have always considered myself to be a very compassionate person. How do you feel when you see a homeless person holding a sign asking for money or food' Do you immediately assume that he is a drunk, or she is a drug addict' Do you check to see if your car doors are locked' Do you avert your eyes and hope for the light to turn green so you can drive away and get back to your normal happy life' When I see this person something pulls at my heart strings, making me wonder what lead him to this current circumstance and how I could help a little' As Aquinas says, wouldn't you "rather feel compassion" for others, than "know the meaning of it" for yourself' It could be you, or someone you love, who is standing on that corner asking for help someday. People think that all the homeless are asking for is charity, but I don't believe that to be the case. When a man or woman gets to a point that they have to stand on the corner on a cold or rainy day with a cardboard sign asking for money or food, I think they are asking for compassion, and it's disheartening to see how little they receive. You don't need to be rich to show someone you care though. You could acknowledge them with a wave or a smile. You can wish them luck or stop back by with a soda or $10 bag of food. The next time you see someone asking for your help, the important thing is that you act on that feeling of compassion in your heart, rather than on those instincts of fear or assumptions of addiction. Even if it’s only a short prayer, it’s better than locking your doors or ignoring that another human being is there and in need of help. I always try to find the good in everyone. Throughout the years I have participated in numerous church missions to help out the needy in underdeveloped countries. I have been to Jamaica to help build a church, host a Bible School, and re-do an entire homeless shelter. In Mexico my church group and I put together a revival and helped renovate a church. There is just something about the homeless and less fortunate that has a strong hold on me. During this week of compassion my behavior did differ more from any other week. Typically my week only includes me staying home with my son during the day and going to school full time at night, coming home making dinner for my family, and going to bed only to wake up and do it all over again the next day. I liked the more compassionate side of me because it made me realize that by my busy lifestyle I have led astray from my more compassionate side and have only thought about what “I need to do to get through the week”. The easiest thing about this week was that this is behavior that my family taught me and it was comfortable to express. The hardest thing I would have to say was stepping back from my “routine” lifestyle and open my eyes to find encounters in which I could convey more compassion. People responded well to my acts of compassion. For instance, on Saturday my family and I always go to this Greek restaurant where this homeless man is always standing at the entrance of the shopping center, the past two weeks we have stopped and gave him our to-go box of food. He never fails to tear up and thank us for our generosity. This will definitely be something I want to continue every week. In a month from now I predict that my behavior will be changed for the better. I have reminded myself that when I am down and out that I should never forget that there are numerous people out there in far worse situations than I. These reflections on compassion will directly impact the actions I will take as being a leader or a member of a group. Compassion is an essential ingredient to being a good Wingman. It's about being non-judgmental of friends and co-workers while letting them know they can depend on you. It's covering a shift for someone that needs some special time with his or her family. It's being a sounding board for a friend that needs someone to talk to. It's taking care of those around us in little ways every day. We are living in uncertain times and certainly feeling the ripple effects of world events in our globalized society. The health of our economy and our national security are in question. Reaching out to people is the way to build bridges across cultures and lifestyles. It helps us to realize that our humanity transcends gender, race, age and religion. It will take compassionate leadership across every walk of life to help us weather the storms of our generation.