Compassion

Definition: awareness of another’s distress and the desire to alleviate it

kəm-ˈpa-shən, noun

In a sentence: “she felt compassion towards the frightened child”

Synonyms: commiseration, sympathy, recognition, understanding, feeling

Significance: Respect, care and concern for all living things is the ultimate sign of a mentally, emotionally, spiritually sound individual. Can you imagine a world without compassion? Without compassion, humanity wouldn’t even exist. The world would stop spinning (quite literally) in the absence of love, compassion, and deep understanding for the plight of our fellow humanity. Compassion is the key to identifying and understanding all walks of life. Without the selfless ability to understand and identify with another’s place in life, there is no capacity to extend a hand to those who are struggling. And, let’s face it, we all struggle from time to time. This is the very nature of humanity. Compassion is the depth of love for oneself and others. Compassion is an overall attitude about life. It represents who we are at the core. Most people are only able to practice a degree of selective compassion, but that isn’t true, genuine compassion. Compassion isn’t selective. Compassion isn’t practiced “on cue.” Compassion is respect extended to all living things. Compassion is the attitude, gratitude and respect shown to the universe at large. It’s tantamount to our sense of well-being and general outlook on life that we love and respect ourselves—first—and in turn everything and everyone around us receives that love and respect as a by-product. It is of utmost importance to note that we can only be as compassionate with others as we are with ourselves. So, until we learn to treat ourselves with deep compassion, we will be at a loss for understanding and feeling compassion at the depths for all living beings.

Words to live by: “If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.”-The Buddha