Compassion in Action

“The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others.” – Albert Schweitzer

More than sympathy/”I feel for you” or empathy/”I understand what you’re going through,” compassion embodies both and combines them with a deep rooted desire to alleviate another’s suffering.
“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” – Aesop
So why don’t we act on our compassion? Rather than the term “Too Little, Too Late” which implies that had we just done more sooner we would have made a difference, we all too often fall into the trap of “Too Little, Too Early.” When we judge our actions before we take them, don’t believe they are big or grand enough, that we’re going to be doing “too little, too early” we can talk ourselves out of doing anything at all. In our go big or go home society it’s time to wake up to the fact that there is no action that is too small other than non-action, that big is simply made up of a whole lot of littles.

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” – Dalai Lama XIV

When our desire to alleviate suffering is strong enough, when we recognize that no action is too small, we ACT. Through acts of selfless service we connect with others, and in doing so, are reunited with our own true nature, our own true Self.
“One love, one heart, one destiny.” – Bob Marley