This is a subject that I intend to write more on, over the coming weeks ... but I'm going to start with a quote from John Wesley to provoke some comment ...

"Do all the good you can,

By all the means you can,

In all the places you can,

At all times you can,

To all the people you can,

As long as ever you can"

I want to ask you to shift your focus ... this thread isn't one where we look at where we fall short of our own expectations ... it's where we look at what we get right, in this particular regard.

I'd like to encourage you to highlight ONE instance where you have either heard of, read about or witnessed first-hand someone practicing "compassion in action" - where someone has done something for someone else with no thought of reward ...

It's about time we celebrated putting love into action in the world - a kind of positive news thread (just the opposite of the news programmes we've become so accustomed to !)

It could be as simple as smiling at a stranger, stopping to talk to someone, offering a kind word or genuine compliment ... or something like volunteering with some group or individual ... the choice is yours.

It doesn't matter who does it - whether it's you or somebody else; you could be aware of something someone else has done and you'd like to celebrate it (NO NAMES NECESSARY !) In fact, some of you may be more comfortable pretending it was someone else !!

Look for the good in every day - then share it with the rest of us !!



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Paul, this is such a great idea, and its one that we should all be doing on daily basis!
Love the quote too by the way!
Now I'm off to show some compassion!!!!!!!!!!!!

My son is autistic. I've see a lot of compassion from people. I can go on forever about all the people that have shown compassion for my son. It has inspired me to return it. I am now on a mission to help other disabled kids.
I love the quote! Something to live by!

Doyle

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buccaneer My son is autistic. I've see a lot of compassion from people. I can go on forever about all the people that have shown compassion for my son. It has inspired me to return it. I am now on a mission to help other disabled kids. I love the quote! Something to live by! Doyle

Hey Doyle, that's a terrific example ... can you share just one of those moments / actions with us ?

Sending LOVE to a great man who is a GREAT role model & husband & father..YOU walk the walk my freind & I am forever grateful to God for your freindship! Have a GREAT day and my LOVE to Niahm & your children,Laura & Baby Reggie

Laura - you have me blushing !! I feel you're being overly-enthusiastic ... but Thank You for your kindness !

Okay ... moving swiftly on !

I know a couple who sponsor a child in an orphanage - the money they send every year goes towards feeding, clothing, homing and educating this child. Twice a year they receive updates on the child's progress from the staff at the orphanage ... and although they have met and played with that child and others in the class at the orphanage, the child will never know who their sponsor is.

I 've got one for ya, Paul.

It's a little act of kindness, which is usually the most personal. We went to a restaurant for dinner. By we, I mean my wife and I and our 2 sons. As I said, my 8 year old is autistic, he is also hearing impaired. He can hear in one ear with the help of a hearing aid. Without it he cannot hear.
So back to dinner, we were enjoying dinner when the unthinkable happened, Zack's hearing aid battery went dead. We always have a spare ready for this emergency. You see when the aid dies, Zack is deaf and he doesn't like that. He started screaming ( now he can't hear himself, so you can imagine how loud ) IT'S DEAD...IT'S DEAD....IT'S DEAD. We were unprepaired with another battery. Of course we are trying to comfort him and let him know everything will be OK. At this point everyone in the restaurant is looking at us. Some I might add, like we were incompetent parents.

Then in the middle of all of that, the woman at the table next to us turns around with a big smile. She asked if Zack was ok. We told her about not having a battery for his hearing aid. She just reached out her hand and said don't worry about anyone in here, if they couldn't hear, they'd be screaming too. We laughed. It wasn't much, but we were so uncomfortable, this little act put us at ease. Of course we calmed Zack down and was able to finish our meal.

It was that little act of kindness that saved our meal. We would have left as soon as possible with our meals in a box had she not turned around.

It doesn't have to be a big deal.......Just Kindness!!

Doyle

Paul what a great thread!!! Thank you for this reflection today.

When I was taking my Aunt to the clinic for her daily chemo treatments, there was an older man who was security there. Every morning he would come right over and say to her "How are you today young lady" and flash his wonderful smile and throw me a wink! Wow did he make our day, HER day! We were going to a place where people should not have to go, where they are dealing with life and death situations, and this man made it a point to smile, compliment, and share love and expect absolutely nothing back in return. She would talk about him the rest of the day as I drove her back home and how wonderful he was. He made her happy.

When she died just a month into her treatments, I took him a card and let him know that HE made a difference in her final days...and how priceless his gift of compassion truly was.

This world is full of amazing people if we open our eyes and see with love and gratitude our hearts will feel warm and at peace.

Focus on the positive in everyone and every situation....

Paul..you can blush..but it was ALL TRUE and NEVER exaggerated..lol...it actually might not of been kind enough..see when Niahm & Diane wrote me on the anniversary of my grandfathers passing,while on VACTION even ..this was MORE than any regular soul would do..or think to do...it touched my soul and it is the KINDNESS that you and your family GIVE DAILY..to me..to ALL...this is what you TEACH your children..by your EXAMPLE & it is a GREAT world we can live in with Role Models like YOU & Niahm! So there..take that! LOL.....I am proud to know you freind & I hope this day & everyday brings you the blessings you so deserve!

(Okay, okay, okay ... ENOUGH about me, already ! LOL !!)

Niamh and Diane's emails are an excellent example of "Compassion in Action" ... they are both incredible, wonderful, inspirational women - I don't think I know 2 more truly compassionate souls ! (How blessed am I ?! ; )


Next example of Compassion being seen in the World, please !

:0)

I've got to agree with your assessment of Diane - star jumps of pure joy for getting to be her friend!

I'm not sure this fits, but just the other week I saw a guy steal a carton of cigarettes from the grocery. The gal behind the counter yelled for help and no less than 5 guys took off running after the guy. I was so impressed by that; they left their carts and did what was right.

Not compassion, exactly, but doing the right thing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mellie Paul what a great thread!!! This world is full of amazing people if we open our eyes and see with love and gratitude our hearts will feel warm and at peace. Focus on the positive in everyone and every situation....

T-GANG!!!

Did you hear that?

ok paul since you don"t want to talk about you ~ I heard this news story a few weeks ago and it touched me then so I add it here to your beautiful thread~lol~I "had" to get that in~
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Great story Laura - thanks for sharing !

How about the rest of you ? Let's hear about some more !!

:0)

Before Jonnae's passing, I received an anonymous gift in the mail from someone who had been reading my blog through Jonnae's BMT and relapse. She had written a lovely note as to why she had purchased it for me. It read's Aspire to Inspire. I wear it every day. It reminds me of my purpose, gives me joy and on days that I don't feel so "inspired" myself, gives me the strength to P.P.P.U.S.H. (Pray, Participate and Persevere Until Something Happens)

Compassion is a beautiful thing!

At the club house where my AA group meets there are sober functions, so people in sobriety can learn to have fun without drinking. Whenever our group hears of someone not coming due to financial difficulties, one of the members of the home group will take care of the tab and tell the person to come and not worry about the cost. We want people to not feel left out or different for any reason. We want people to recover no matter what. Isolation is not healthy.

cherishedi....reaching out and getting others to be part is HUGE..this is a simple step that so many forget and it would help so many with so many various things..isolation is awful in so many ways and not belonging...so many people get LOST in today's society where we sit at a restraunt & do not want to even look at the person at the next table but we want to talk LOUDLY on our cell phones so everyone KNOWS we have freinds! There are so many ..yet to be freinds at our side everyday..IF we reach out to them in someway..YOUR act of kindness brings a tear to my eye and I commend you! Keep up the AWESOME human compassion my freind ....
Paul..GLAD you liked it ..I added THAT story for MANY reasons...Love Laura

Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant. Robert Louis Stevenson

This is a short video of statistics that we somehow forget in our everyday busy lives. God IS COMPASSION as his words echo compassion that we translate at times in different ways. IF we remember God's words it is easy to see what we should do. Many people say to me personally..I wanted to help but I did not know HOW...I always answer ...just reach out & go from there....Hugs,Laura
YouTube - Poverty - Children - Compassion International

Here is a feel good story..of ????.....LIFE...& real HUMAN SPIRITS

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Things in this story bode true for a better body as well as a better world
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