Compassionate Acts

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When has someone shown you compassion?

I hope today you will pause and take some time to think about the moments throughout your life when someone showed you compassion. Think back over your decades and reflect on how a person came through for you with care and love. 

Consider a time in your life when someone took action to do something loving for you that you will never forget.

Maybe it was a stranger, maybe an acquaintance, or maybe someone you already loved but you couldn’t believe how they came through for you when you really needed them.

Maybe it was when you were a child, student, or in your adult life.

Maybe the compassionate act was not a big deal to them or a huge sacrifice, but it meant the world to you.

Maybe you didn’t even realize at the time what it meant, but as you look back today you realize that you were the recipient of a compassionate act of love.

When we start a reflection process like this, we realize there are many moments we’ve been shown compassion throughout our lives. 

Yesterday, we shared stories like this in the online class I lead. The stories were so powerful and profound. Here are a few elements I captured as I listened to the stories:

  • Often it was an acquaintance or stranger that was the center of the story. Love wasn’t earned, instead it was unconditional loving action shown to a stranger on a sidewalk, in a hospital waiting room, on a plane, or in a new city.

  • “Slowing down is where the gold is.” Jennifer said these words after she noticed that the stories involved people slowing down enough to pay attention and taking the time to help someone. 

  • Multiple stories had the flavor of someone being present - sitting with them, showing up, and coming through. Wendee summed it up by saying, “in these stories, I see that compassion is about taking the time to be with that person, it’s not about having the right words to say, it’s about the love you give.”

  • Some shared how they asked for help after being hesitant to share the truth of what was going on. They reminded us that people can’t read our minds or just know what is happening, we have to share it. People want to love us and help us, but sometimes we have to let them know that we need them. That takes vulnerability, but it results in being shown beautiful acts of compassion. 

To receive compassion is to be seen, heard, loved, and cared for in our most human moments. 

To receive compassion is to remember that you were never meant to carry it all alone. 

To receive compassion means that the soul of another looked into your soul and deemed it worth helping.

Take some time to reflect upon times when you were shown compassion. When we are aware of the many acts we have received, we are far more likely to act with compassion to help someone else. 

Then take a step beyond reflecting, and actually tell someone your story of receiving compassion, it might inspire them to act compassionately toward someone else too. 

Together we create waves of compassion in an ocean of love,

 

P.S.

We have a fantastic Happier Hour happening in Kansas City on Thursday, April 10th from 6-8! Come to this free event solo or bring a friend to meet other wonderful like-hearted people, meet the team of coaches and therapists at Compassion Fix, and receive some fun give-aways. We can’t wait to see you Thursday at 12122 State Line Road in Leawood. It will be a fun night and I will be signing books if you need a great graduation gift!