The Nature of Compassion

The conclusion of the essays.

    Compassion is something that people seek and try to offer but far too often is replaced instead with judgment on what is thought to be known of a person based on appearance of a person and what is thought should be normal for a person in a given situation. It is human to judge and to try to make others fit into your little box. It is also human to worry about those that are within your inner circle- this is called a monkeysphere.

    On a brief tangent, let me explain the monkeysphere. The monkeysphere is also known as Dunbar’s number. It is a suggested cognitive limit to the number of people a person can have stable social relationships with. Basically, it is the number of people that you can interact with without strict boundaries, such as laws and rules, to guide the interaction and keep it together. It also dictates on how many people you care about, how many people you can feel compassion for in their given situation.

    Now, that being covered, back to the subject at hand. It is human to feel compassion and care for only those you deem worthy because they fit into your box of what is right, normal, or fitting, and also because of your inner circle of people that you interact with often. This is where you must expand beyond your comfort zone and step outside of the box. This is where you must see how all people can benefit from compassion, where you can see how compassion is necessary for all. We must think outside of our box or monkeysphere, to see how we can help others and how we can bring light to their lives.

    Compassion is never an easy path to walk, because of the empathy that is needed. Empathy is where you feel another’s pain and suffering. With compassion, empathy is necessary to truly be compassionate. Empathy, however, can lead to a great deal of pain and sorrow within yourself and feelings of hopelessness. But do not give up. Compassion can go a long way, even if it is just one person a day or two people. It can open doors and sow seeds that will not be forgotten and can bring joy, hope, and love to another person, even briefly.

    The nature of compassion is sympathetic and concerned for another person’s or people’s suffering or sorrows. It is a nature all of us possess but we often limit this nature, as we do with mercy, to only those we feel that are deserving. Some feel that if a poor person does not match their idea of poverty, then they are undeserving of any type of aid, or are lazy. If a girl is pregnant, without knowing her circumstances, she is told that she is horrible, worthless, and should have kept her legs closed. Even in cases of abuse and rape, male and female alike are blamed and told that they did something to deserve it or that it is their fault or they should have fought, or been stronger. All of these instances lack compassion for our fellow person and are malicious towards them. To judge a person so harshly, to put yourself in a position over another person, because of circumstances beyond their control or possibly bad decisions, or because another dehumanized them and hurt them, is wrong. When this is done, the sorrows and trials are contributed to and expounded upon. That is not right and not the nature of compassion. It is not the nature of love or the nature of mercy.

    Compassion does not demand answers for why a person is poor or judge them for dressing a certain way when they are asking for help. Compassion just recognizes the need for help, the need love, the need for reassurance, and then freely gives it. Compassion reaches a hand out, helping a person to their feet, and expecting nothing in return. Compassion is a pure expression of love and goes far beyond our comfort zone.

    Compassion is not an easy path, anymore than loving your enemies, or forgiving a person, or showing mercy, or having hope in the face of darkness, or faith when the storms are raging. All of these are matters of the spirit, and the spirit affects all of who we are. It is a narrow path to walk, and one that is often filled with sorrow, if not for your fellow man, then for the fact that you cannot do more. Compassion reaches out in love and often mercy, and those doors are opened with hope and faith. Forgiveness is the key to all of these and they all always go hand in hand.

    This is the conclusion of these essays. I hope they have helped you in some way, even if your beliefs differ slightly or a great deal from what is presented in this. I hope that you whom are reading this, know that you are loved and that you are irreplaceable. If you are having a hard time, it will get better in time. Thank you for reading my writings and please pass them on to others that may need them.

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[charlie]

Compassion is passion for everyone.