A World of Hope...

The following is an article I submitted to a web site called Helium. It is a place to write, critique articles and have your writing rated by other writers. The topic was "How to teach compassion as a way of life for you and your children." In light of this past weekend, it is hoped I have done the subject justice.


Compassion begins with awareness. If you do not take the time to realize that there are others in the world struggling or have it worse than yourself, how can you teach your children to act with compassion? Modeling compassion begins with random acts of kindness. Putting others first in such a way that you put your own needs or desires second is a perfect way to teach your children how to be compassionate persons. Denying the urge to serve one’s self must become a life long habit attainable only through practice. If done enough times, it becomes a part of your life and becomes a part of who you are as a human being.

So we must start with the question; “Who is your model?” Compassion must come from a genuine source like a person who is living or who lived and exemplified the right characteristics. This person clearly sees or saw the unfortunate circumstances of others living in his or her particular time. They were moved and acted upon the need, putting them last in line. Serving others is second nature to the compassionate person; in fact, it is a sense of mission that drives them to it. The mind set is this: “If but one person benefits from my actions, then it was worth the effort.” This is what children need to learn from their parents or guardians. If more people modeled this simple inner dialogue, the world would be a much better place in which to live.

Compassion is empathy, not pity. The idea of walking in another’s shoes for a mile or more can lead us to a place where needs still exist, but suffering is eased. It becomes more about dignity than prosperity, respect than hierarchy and caring than mere responsibility. Governments can do as much or be held to account, but it takes people caring about people to get the message across to future generations. In the final analysis, it comes down to a simple four letter word that has become so misunderstood in our modern world. It really is about love; a word that has meaning in all cultures, all religions and in all societies great and small. It is reflected in the Holy Bible, the Koran and in the teachings of Buddha and in all other great spiritual movements throughout human history.

What would it take for a Muslim to take up the orphan child of a Hindu, or the Christian to care for the needs of a child from China? The answer is, compassion, because it transcends all colors, all religions, creeds and nationalities. It transforms a barren land of hopelessness into a garden of opportunity. It enables people everywhere to see beyond the darkness of prejudice and truly lights up the world. When children can see it occurring right in front of them, then it becomes a reality they will emulate and pass on to future generations. Compassion indeed can change our world. A world of despair becomes a world of hope for all to see.