This is the season
in which the idea of compassion is expressed most openly. This is a time of
the year when we are encouraged to do the two most powerful exercises required
for the development of spiritual muscle: the practice of introspection at New
Year Eve... honing ourselves evaluating the year that has passed... resolutions for the year
ahead. And continual practice of running on the treadmill of compassion.
Pity is often
exploited by those in need and it can irritate us. I.e., when passing through
Oregon a couple of years ago, every rest stop along I-5 seemed to have someone
with a sign that read "Need money for Gas!" I know that it is a
racket and it peeves me somewhat. In fact, it ought to. I love the scene from
The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the "alley of miracles", the beggars
threw off their crutches and Esmeralda danced, after a hard day begging upon entering the alley?
Does compassion
compel me to respond out of guilt or do I see myself in the fellow that is
simply down on his luck? Once spiritually fit… muscles honed through the vehicle
of meditation I become centered and am not so easily manipulated. I can see
those who do need help while others are, well, out of kindness I can say,
clueless. If I allow myself to feel taken advantage of, eventually, I will
cease helping others. I won’t find only pity and no compassion at all for those
I might have truly helped. Instead, all I have done was to salve my guilt and
grant me a sense of righteousness that was void of any compassion at all. Condescension,
mistaken for compassion does more harm than good.
Compassion can translate into giving a
sandwich to a panhandler, caring deeply for his wellbeing, instead of coin that
might be used to go for a jug of wine. Then again, a coin might be given
knowing full well what it is going for because I know what its like to really
need a drink.
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