Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Happy Compassion Day

Happy Compassion Day. As many of you know by now I am making everyday a holiday. I declare today Compassion Day. Compassion is very different than sympathy. Compassion is empathy with heart. Sympathy is a word we use when someone dies, yet... sympathy is more removed than compassion. Compassion occurs when we can put ourselves in the other person’s shoes and feel what they feel. Compassion is the thing that allows a mother to love her child when s/he screams “I hate you.” It is the salve than helps us understand and not seek retribution for acts of anger or revenge. Compassion keeps our hearts open and helps heal past wounds.

Kuan Yin is known as the goddess of compassion. Her vow to , called the vow of the Bodhisattva, was to be present in human form until all suffering ceased. Many tales depict Kuan Yin as offering deep love and compassion towards those who did her great harm. Even though we might not have the compassion of Kuan Yin, we all have the ability to identify with others’ pain. May we meet today with a harmless attitude as we face traffic, thoughtlessness from others and thoughtless actions we do not understand.

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