NOTHING HELPS US BUILD OUR PERSPECTIVE MORE THAN DEVELOPING COMPASSION FOR OTHERS. COMPASSION IS A SYMPATHETIC FEELING. IT INVOLVES THE WILLINGNESS TO PUT YOURSELF IN SOMEONE ELSES SHOES, TO TAKE THE FOCUS OFF YOURSELF AND TO IMAGINE WHAT ITS LIKE TO BE IN SOMEONE ELSES PREDICAMENT, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY, TO FEEL LOVE FOR THAT PERSON. ITS THE RECOGNITION THAT OTHER PEOPLES PROBLEMS, THEIR PAIN AND FRUSTRATIONS, ARE EVERY BIT AS REAL AS YOUR OWN-OFTEN FAR WORSE. IN RECOGNIZING THIS FACT AND TRYING TO OFFER SOME ASSISTANCE, WE OPEN OUR OWN HEARTS AND GREATLY ENHANCE OUR SENSE OF GRATITUDE. COMPASSION IS SOMETHING YOU CAN DEVELOP WITH PRACTICE. IT INVOLVES 2 THINGS: INTENTION AND ACTION. INTENTION SIMPLY MEANS YOU REMEMBER TO OPEN YOUR HEART TO OTHERS; YOU EXPAND WHAT AND WHO MATTERS, FROM YOURSELF TO OTHER PEOPLE. ACTION IS SIMPLY THE "WHAT YOU DO ABOUT IT." YOU MIGHT DONATE A LITTLE MONEY OR TIME (OR BOTH) ON A REGULAR BASIS TO A CAUSE NEAR TO YOUR HEART. OR PERHAPS YOULL OFFER A BEAUTIFUL SMILE AND GENUINE "HELLO" TO THE PEOPLE YOU MEET ON THE STREET. ITS NOT SO IMPORTANT WHAT U DO, JUST THAT YOU DO SOMETHING. AS MOTHER TERESA REMINDS US, "WE CANNOT DO GREAT THINGS ON THIS EARTH. WE CAN ONLY DO SMALL THINGS WITH GREAT LOVE."
COMPASSION DEVELOPS YOUR SENSE OF GRATITUDE BY TAKING YOUR ATTENTION OFF ALL THE THINGS THAT MOST OF US HAVE LEARNED TO TAKE TOO SERIOUSLY. WHEN YOU TAKE TIME, OFTEN, TO REFLECT ON THE MIRACLE OF LIFE-THE MIRACLE THAT YOU ARE EVEN ABLE TO READ THIS BLOG-THE GIFT OF SIGHT, OF LOVE, AND ALL THE REST, IT CAN HELP TO REMIND YOU THAT MANY OF THE THINGS YOU THINK OF AS "BIG STUFF" ARE REALLY JUST "SMALL STUFF" THAT YOU ARE TURNING INTO BIG STUFF . SO BEFORE ITS TO LATE TAKE TIME TO FIGURE OUT WHAT REALLY DOES MATTER BY USING COMPASSION.
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