Compassion is...

I was on Facebook, earlier today watching as two women argued over different points of view.  I posted some comments in favor of one point of view but when it started to turn a little ugly, I decided to leave the discussion.  I think emotions can quickly turn an argument into a personal attack because we feel strongly that we are right and the other is wrong; but it is important to keep an open mind. What if what you think today, changes tomorrow?  What if the other person is actually right? Even if they are dead wrong, I think it is very important to have compassion for people and the way that they feel because their experiences have shaped who they are.  More likely than not, your experiences are very different from theirs and so you don’t see things the same way. Some people say that truth is relative, and to a degree I agree with that.  It is common to want to change someone’s mind but I think that it would be far more effective to resist that urge and not to try to change the person’s mind. The point of debates should be to share  different points of view rather than to change minds. If another’s mind happens to change because of what you shared, that is great but if not; that is okay too.  We as a people have to learn how to love and accept each other with our differences. Our differences are what make the world go around. That is what agape love is about.  It’s unconditional love.

People have lost sight that we are all connected. The appearance of self is an illusion.  You should not want to attack someone because they think differently from you because you would not want to be attacked for your beliefs.  It is so easy for people to hurt, even kill, each other today because people have lost sight that we are all one. Our collective energy is the spirit of God. It is powerful. When we can start to see God in ourselves and each other, we can treat each other with love and compassion.

Psalms 145:8 (KJV) says the Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

If we strive to emulate Jesus then we would not engage in personal attacks over trivial arguments and petty things.  Compassion is the path to a better life.

Compassion

Compassion is the path to living better

Like a chain letter

The message spreads but the spirit is fed

And it is a good thing

We must open our mouths and sing

Praises of love and understanding

By banding together we can avoid the crash landing

That is eminent if we continue to self-destruct

Disorderly conduct has become the norm

And it has left us all fucked

So instead of conforming or weathering the storm

It would behoove us all to chuck

Our personal feelings or tuck them deep inside;

 Better yet set them aside

And realize that pride and ego

Coincide with being snide and

Contribute to the cultural divide

Not only should we walk side by side

But we should act as one

And put down our guns

Because the only real weapon

worth having is compassion.