COMPASSION – A FORGOTTEN VIRTUE.

A leading newspaper has given a clarion call for observing Compassion Day – 28th June 2013. It is a very thoughtful initiative for people to show “I Care”. 
In my primary class I had read a story titled, “beautiful hands”. The story line is thus:
A school decided to have a competition and award the child having “Beautiful hands.’ Asha and Geetha students of class 9 wanted to participate in the competition. Asha got beautiful Mehendhi drawings done in her hands. Geetha was very busy helping her ailing mother and forgot about the competition. On the way to her school in the morning she helped an old man carry a heavy basket of vegetables across a bridge and reached her school late by half an hour. During the competition the teacher enquired why Geetha did not do anything on her hands. Geetha explained what she did the previous day and why she was late to school in the morning. The teacher announced Geetha as the prize winner for “beautiful hands.” – The hands that extend to help the needy. This story has left such an impact in my mind that I get angry if people do not show concern to others pain.
An old widow whom I visited recently told me, my only son is maintaining an old age home abroad but has no time to see me even once a year. I just did not know how to respond to her pain. Her son by maintaining an old age home is of course demonstrating compassionate but why not he extend the same to his mother! I was left with a sleepless night but got no answer.
A friend of mine visited me recently. After our pleasantries I asked her how her ailing daughter is and whether she was getting help from her extended family as planned to take care. She said, “My parents and in-laws have worked throughout their life so now they want rest and peace. They are unable to tolerate the mood swings due to my daughter’s physical pain. One of my sisters is busy taking her children to the orphanage to make them sensitive to such issues but has no time to talk or listen to my daughter. My other siblings are busy with their evolving life --- board exams, marriage, new job, child birth and so on. Nobody has the time even to lend a patient hearing to my daughters’ pain.” She displaced herself to her native place hoping that her extended family will support her to tide over these difficulties but was upset that she made the wrong decisions. She said, “as long as I was here it was heaven with all of you to help. I took a wrong decision.”  I did not know how to console her.
In this materialistic world we are so ignorant of the pain of our near and dear. Either we take them for granted or do not want to involve because it may cause more burden to us. A few of the elderly generation also sometimes demand attention even if they are healthy and fail to extend compassion to the youngsters. Service to mankind is the biggest offering to the Almighty, despite their age they fail to understand this. The time frame of the younger generation is filled with treachery, violence and greed; the elderly can be more compassionate and help the youngsters to cross every hurdle with ease. They lack patience and wisdom to be compassionate. Instead of being self centered and an arm chair critic they can count their blessings and extend a helping hand to the needy youngsters. An aged man told me, “I am very practical; I can help somebody only if I am likely to gain something out of it.”  What a wonderful thought!
Meryl Streep a popular actress rightly said,”some people are filled by compassion and a desire to do good, and some simply don’t think anything is going to make a difference.”
Compassion begins at home with parents, spouse, siblings, grandparents, uncles, aunts, niece, nephews, cousins, neighbors’ and so on. It is showing “daya”, or showing “karuna”. The dictionary meaning of compassion states:, “deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the wish to relieve it.” In this definition there are two elements constituting compassion: 
a) Being aware of another person’s suffering and;
b) A wish to relieve it.
In this fast paced world everybody is (deliberately) oblivion to the pain and suffering around them. Everybody is busy running the rat race competing for everything – from procuring water to winning a Parliament seat; constantly engrossed in attaining their selfish priorities. In the life cycle of a person there is no time for compassion. The myth remains in every body’s mind that you are likely to be left behind if you are not running the rat race.
Compassion is an unpopular term but an important virtue and moral quality. Every religion propagates it. Even animals are compassionate. Compassion transcends all geographical boundaries and ideologies. In this less tolerant, violent world compassion is the need of the hour.
Compassion means being empathetic and to initiate small steps to minimize pain of the human kind and all living beings. It is an expression of concern to the less fortunate and to those suffering pain. Pain – both physical and emotional – is universal and an unpleasant sensation. Firstly let us become aware of the suffering of our kith and kin and neighbors. Let us greet them and talk or listen to them. At least spend some time with them. This gives a nice feeling to the sufferer, a relief and comfort. Always remember your good deeds today will become your angels while you are in distress. Your neighbors’ pain today may become yours tomorrow. Your good deed to him today will earn his compassion to you tomorrow.
Compassion sparks progress and joy and it is the source of all connectivity. Godliness dwells where there is service and where compassion prevails. Our Father, Mahatma says, “Power based on love is thousand times more effective and permanent.” Practicing compassion elevates our spirits and keeps us happy. It gives a true meaning to our life and a tremendous satisfaction which even money can never buy. To be compassionate we need to spot the sufferers and become consciously aware of their need. For both young and old the impact of suffering is always the same. Suffering may be due to loss of spouse, being morbidly ill, accidents, loneliness, disability, ad differently challenged. We may come across many reasons of pain or suffering but let us not be blind to others pain and let us learn to empathize. After becoming aware let us deliberately cultivate the wish to extend our help. Let our life not be laced with greed and selfishness. Kindle your compassion impulses and start helping the distressed Now. We may not be Mahatma or Mother Teresa but we can follow their ways of compassion. Being compassionate is not to score points but should be genuine.
Today is the day, make the beginning. Reach out to your neighbor, at least call up and talk. It does not cost you much. Give them a chance to unload their pain. Count your blessings and always be happy.
Let us stop being judgmental. Everyone is God’s creation. We don’t need “Himalayan Tsunami” to stimulate our compassionate impulses. Let us build a habit of being compassionate.
Finally, always remember His Holiness Dalai Lama’s words: 
      “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion; if you want to be happy practice compassion.”
Practice Compassion, it stimulates Happiness!