Compassion

com·pas·sion

kəmˈpaSHən/

noun

noun: compassion; plural noun: compassions

1. sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.

   "the victims should be treated with compassion"

As human beings, I think we are born with compassion. I think it is part of our divine nature. I have wondered however, how it develops over time. How does compassion as a noun change into a verb?

I believe our compassion, over time, becomes very unique to our experiences. The age old question of why there is suffering in the world- is answered partly,  because it develops our own compassion. Our trials, sadness, darkness can impel us to serve in ways that perhaps no one else can. 

"Healers are spiritual warriors who have found the courage to defeat the darkness of their souls. Awakening and rising from the depths of their deepest fears, like a Phoenix rising from the ashes. Reborn with a wisdom and strength that creates a light that shines bright enough to help, encourage, and inspire others out of their own darkness" (Melanie Koulouris)

There have been times when, as a parent, I have wanted my children to not suffer. I have prayed that the suffering would end and the pain would stop. I have been lovingly rebuked by the Spirit, that although I can pray for their relief, asking them to forgo pain and suffering may be denying them of becoming a compassionate human being molded uniquely and specifically to help humanity in some way.

 Our own darkness can become a bridge of compassion that would of never been built without our suffering.

Of course, we don't need to look far for a pattern. The Savior descended below all things in order to succor each of one us. He suffered EVERYTHING. He built a bridge of Compassion to each human with blood, tears, incomprehensible suffering, and pure love.

Refugee

ref·u·gee

ˌrefyo͝oˈjē/

noun

1. a person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster.

   "tens of thousands of refugees fled their homes"

Who are they?

 There are more than 60 million refugees, including forcibly displaced people, worldwide. Half of those are children.. (See “Facts and Figures about Refugees,” unhcr.org.uk/about-us/key-facts-and-figures.html.)

How can I help?  

• Prayerfully determine what you can do—according to your own time and circumstance—to serve the refugees living in your neighborhoods and communities. (Linda K Burton)
•  Go to IWasAStranger for more ideas
• Be Kind. It's that simple. I love this song by Michael Mclean about how we are all refugees.

I did a lesson a few weeks on Relief Society on how to help the refugees. Although I didn't go into a lot of details about the refugees themselves,  we focused more on how to help them. I was awed and saddened by the pictures found in the Ensign of the refugees and felt they told the story better than I ever could. I put together a presentation with these pictures:

Endurance

Endurance

1. 
   

   inˈd(y)o͝orəns,enˈd(y)o͝orəns/

   noun

   1. the fact or power of enduring an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way.

      
      

   
   

Last Sunday, we watched a video about the Atonement. It showed Christ's suffering and pain. I wondered what He was thinking as He went through everything He did. After the excruciating prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane where He suffered the sins, pain sorrow of all mankind, was there relief? No, He was betrayed and arrested. After the horrific scourging, was there relief? No, a crown of thorns was placed on his head and then had to carry his own cross to Calgary. And then was there relief when nails were driven in hands and feet? And even after all that unthinkable pain, we know he suffered for hours, and still no relief. He even felt His Father's presence leave Him, and we hear him cry out and question the Father forsaking Him. 

And then it was finished. 

After watching His suffering, and all that He went through, the word Endurance came to mind. Endurance isn't usually a happy word.  It's the hard, icky, we-have-to-go-through this stuff. We all struggle, we all have trials. They are unbearable and seem to last forever. 

I have experienced such trials.  And just when I cry up to the heavens asking for relief, it doesn't always come when I think it should. It doesn't usually come when I'm pretty sure I've suffered long enough and learned all that I need to know.

Endurance is what the Savior did and He did it perfectly.  He did it out of love for each of us. He has compassion for every hurt, sorrow a human can suffer and He succors us with His perfect love.

 As He did, we need to endure our own small proverbial crosses and  gethsemanes. And then, perhaps only then, can we truly  help others endure, victoriously, to the end.

Advocate

1. a person who speaks or writes in support or defense of a person,cause, etc. (usually followed by of):
   

   
   

I am a relatively mellow person. I try not to make waves. I try to be peaceful. I try to do what I think is right in my own quiet way. 

However (you knew that was coming didn't you?) lately I won't and cannot be silent.

I am so tired of all the pandering, the excuses I'm hearing for Planned Parenthood in spite of the damming videos that have now been published.

Obviously, I don't know all of the excuses here are my top 3 "favorites".

1) Only 3% of Planned Parenthood services are abortions. 

Is that supposed to make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Oh goody! Only like 350,000 (not saying that's the exact number) babies are being killed. Phew! All better, I am sure those 350,000 babies were never needed on this earth. Why give them a chance? (sarcasm!)

Not to be so sarcastic, but I'm not buying it. I don't care if it's .0000003%. A life is a life and they are all precious.

I am an advocate for life.

2) Planned Parenthood provides so many services for women. 

Let's see from my understanding, PP provides many health services, mostly about reproductive and sexual health to women. Well, I have heard of these great institutions that provide the SAME thing for women called clinics and guess what percentage of abortions they perform? Zero, Nada, Zilch Percent.

I would be happy to have my tax money that is supporting PP to help women obtain these same services at such a place. Even those that may not have insurance and are in poverty (Isn't that what the great Obamacare is supposed to help as well..the uninsured?) Listen, I am okay helping the disadvantaged obtain what they need, but not at the price of another human being! 

Yes I am an advocate for the disadvantaged, the helpless. INCLUDING unborn children.

3) (In all fairness this isn't particularly against pp, but abortion in general.)

If you don't believe in abortions don't get one. But don't infringe on my rights do so.

Actually, my stance against abortion is all about rights. Children's rights. You know the saying "it takes a village to raise a child?" In this case it takes a village to defend a child, because the child is unable to defend his or herself. So I'm all about choice and rights too, it's just for a helpless, innocent child. So don't tell me to stay out of your life when another life- just as precious as yours- is being killed mercilessly. 

I will advocate for children. I am part of the village.

So if I offended you, I'll bring you cookies. Because I care and love you as a human being, I just disagree with your position. But I will not back down.

Because you see this blog is about humanity. Respect and love for EVERY human being. Born or unborn. 

heal

verb \ˈhēl\

a :  to make sound or whole <heal a wound>

b :  to restore to health

2

a :  to cause (an undesirable condition) to be overcome :  mend <the troubles … had not been forgotten, but they had been healed — William Power>

b :  to patch up (a breach or division) <heal a breach between friends>

3

:  to restore to original purity

I have been thinking about this concept a lot lately. I was talking to someone who is going through something similar that I went through a few years ago. The darkness and just plain torment I went through daily. At some point, Marc would tell me that I was "healing" and I didn't believe him. 

I know my friend is healing also and I told her so.  Of course, she didn't believe me, like I didn't believe Marc.  I then said how I learned through my healing process, that healing hurts. Physical, emotional, spiritual.  Healing is a painful necessity to restore wholeness in ourselves.

I then thought of a book that has been part of my passion for helping those less fortunate than myself. Nobody Don't Love Nobody is a book documenting a teacher's, Stacy Bess,  experience working at the homeless shelter in Salt Lake City.  

It is such an inspiring book that it has motivated me to become a teacher someday,  especially to children in poverty. Towards the end of the book she talks about more about adult homelessness. Although homelessness is so complicated, she said the homeless adult is the unhealed child.

Perhaps in a nutshell, we can say many who are suffering-homeless or not- are unhealed OR healing.  And in that healing there is pain that is not understood as healing and then the cycle of pain continues and that healing never happens.

I know that if I didn't have the amazing support system I had in my darkest time, I would not be healed. If I didn't have faith in the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I would still be in darkness. 

Stacy Bess continues by admonishing all of us not to judge the homeless, but to love them.

Isn't that best medicine for healing EVER.  Love.

Ripple

rip·ple

ˈripəl/

noun

1. 1.

   a small wave or series of waves on the surface of water, especially as caused by an object dropping into it or a slight breeze.

or

rip·ple ef·fect

noun

1. the continuing and spreading results of an event or action.

I have thought about this a lot.  How our small, seemingly insignificant actions affect the universe.  I can't help but think it would be cool to think if an action we do has some kind of effect that goes on and on.  The smile we shared with a stranger two weeks ago has effected someone somewhere random today from the ripple effect.  You know what I'm saying?

(A cute picture book that illustrates this sweetly is a book called Mordant's Wish

(http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1312054366l/2894685.jpg)

Our actions, have a ripple effect.  I admire and revere Mother Teresa as you know, and she talks about this very thing.  She stated, " I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples."

Beautiful. 

(http://wwwassociation.org/images/mother-teresa1.jpg)

Another person on my "never-met-yet-favorite-person" list is Elder Jeffrey R. Holland who poetically delivered the most  stirring talk concerning poverty a few conferences ago.  He also gave counsel as to our role as disciples of Christ to help those who are less fortunate than ourselves.  His plea was to  "do what we can".  

Make a ripple.  Smile. Serve.  Care.  Do what you can.  Our actions make a difference.

https://30rak.files.wordpress.com/2012/05/pebble-in-the-water.jpg)

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Comfort

com·fort

ˈkəmfərt/

noun

1. 1.

   a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint.

   
   

Each night as crawl into my bed I seem to savor the feeling of the cotton sheets, the warmth of the blankets promising seven to eight hours of restful sleep. As I routinely did this the other night, I thought of the many who have no bed, no sheets and sometimes, no blanket.  Their bed is on a park bench, in an alley, in a cardboard box, or in a  car...

Have they experienced this simple joy that I feel every single night?  

And that's just one thing.   What do they do when they are thirsty?  Need to shower?  Go to the bathroom?  Hungry? Lonely? Scared? Cold? Tired? Sick?  Lost hope?

Although my house is a small and very humble, I must remember it is my home, full of comfort, ease, and safety.