Just How Compassionate Can a Person Be????

Or more poignantly just how compassionate can I be?

Compassion is an interesting word. Webster defines it as: "sorrow for the sufferings or trouble of another or others, accompanied by an urge to help; deep sympathy". When I think of the word 'compassion' I always think of some great and some not-so-great people.

First comes to mind is Jesus. When we reflect upon some of the stories of Jesus...how he healed so many and befriended the woman at the well, how he listened to his disciples and forgave them even before they had done any wrong.....He was full of compassion.

I also think of the Dahli Lama. He had such compassion for all of the peoples of Tibet that he moved them to a whole different space to escape persecution. He also is known for saying "My true religion is kindness."... He also tells us "When you need to forgive another, use compassion and when you need to forgive yourself, use compassion. He lives and breathes the very essence of the word. .Once when I was in his presence he looked at me with such tenderness in his eyes, with such compassion.

Quon Yin was to go into heaven but she chose to stay here on the planet and help all of the rest of us until we ALL were ready to go into heaven. Her compassion for mankind was/is so great.

I remember growing up that my dad rented out homes for those who had just come to town, didn't have a paycheck yet, and no place to live. He helped them with their housing and often food, and went to visit with them. He had such compassion for those who needed his help.

Once Dr. Westphall of the Vietnam Veterans National Memorial in Angel Fire, NM, was greeted by a Veteran who was really having trouble and was thinking of committing suicide late one night. Dr. Westphall looked at the Veteran and took his hand and said, "Son, will you stand with me tomorrow at the Ceremony?" He looked at that Veteran with such compassion that everyone in the room felt it and shed a few tears at that very moment.

Abraham Lincoln, after visiting the Battle of Antietam, went to his tent and cried for the young men who were fighting and dying in that infamous struggle. His compassion was so great for all of mankind that he stood to make a difference in people's lives.

There are examples of compassion all around us in acutality and in our minds.

I think that one of my heart blockages has to do with compassion. Even thoough I think I've been a fairly compassionate person in my life, I heard someone speak the simple phrase while I was in the hospital..."When you breathe in, say, "I breathe in the love of God." and when you breathe out, say, "I breathe out all fear." That to me was such an epitome of compassion for it spoke to a sorry of all of us....that of fear. When I was in the hospital, I had such deep fear....not of dying for that has never been a fear of mine, but the fear that my heart was hurt, and I couldn't do anything to help it.....and more importantly, I was the one who had hurt it. So I had a great deal to think about with that simple statement.

Then when I had gotten out of the hospital, my friend Lara was telling me about a well known Buddhist monk who said something quite the opposite...He says to breathe in ALL the fear, ALL the pain, ALL the suffering of the world and then when you breathe out, to breathe out compassion for all of that and send it as a blessing to blanket the world with a comforter of compassion.

The result is that I can be compassionate with so much more than I ever DREAMED was possible. And with that blockage removed, I can endeavor to not strive to be compassionate but rather just BE compassionate. That just DELIGHTS me. :)