What is compassion?

I always wondered.........why some people have compassion and others not.

So, I thought I'd Google compassion and see what I found......come look!

I found this quote:

“Compassion is the ultimate and most meaningful embodiment of emotional maturity. It is through compassion that a person achieves the highest peak and deepest reach in his or her search for self-fulfillment”.

~Arthur Jersild


And these benefits:

Why develop compassion in your life?

Well, there are scientific studies that suggest there are physical benefits to practicing compassion — people who practice it produce 100 percent more DHEA, which is a hormone that counteracts the aging process, and 23 percent less cortisol — the “stress hormone.”

http://zenhabits.net/2007/06/a-guide-to-cultivating-compassion-in-your-life-with-7-practices/


How you can develop it:

Try this exercise:

Imagine the suffering of a human being you’ve met recently. Now imagine that you are the one going through that suffering. Reflect on how much you would like that suffering to end. Reflect on how happy you would be if another human being desired your suffering to end, and acted upon it. Open your heart to that human being and if you feel even a little that you’d want their suffering to end, reflect on that feeling. That’s the feeling that you want to develop. With constant practice, that feeling can be grown and nurtured.


I found this comic quite amusing.............





I found this image that captured the true essence of compassion......... Mother Teresa, my hero!






Ok......since I love quotes....one more..........


"How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in life you will have been all of these".

~George Washington Carver


And this poem:

Let Me Give
Author: B.J. Morbitzer


I do not know how long I'll live
But while I live, Lord, let me give
Some comfort to someone in need
By smile or nod, kind word or deed.


And let me do what ever I can
To ease things for my fellow man.
I want naught but to do my part
To "lift" a tired or weary heart.

To change folks' frowns to smiles again.
Then I will not have lived in vain
And I'll not care how long I'll live
If I can give ... and give ... and give


So, in my findings I have learned that maybe compassion is learned. It most likely comes from our lessons in life, experiences and selflessness!

Too bad you can't buy it in a store.........probably wouldn't be as effective!

Here's to all the compassionate souls out there....God bless ya!