Re: Serious reflection (re: Compassion) - Rosemary

[Guest guest]

Dear Rosemary:

You said: " {rosemary}: Surely if it is a 'must be confused' around a

feeling then you need to inquire? "

Not if I realize that I am confused.

If I feel compassion for another, I have believed at least two lies.

I have believed that there is an " I " that could " be compassionate "

and that there is another separate one that could have a problem.

I see compassion as an attack on myself and my brother.

Here is Webster's definition of compassion:

Sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire

to alleviate it

synonym see: PITY

Steve D.

> >

> >

> > > **I really don't think I said this Carol??? Did I?? Perhaps

I

> > > didn't make myself clear - what I meant was that compassion

is

> > > wasted on people who had a choice, and took the wrong one

> > > and then kept repeating it ....

> >

> >

> > *****The only way that compassion can be wasted (and it never

> really

> > is, actually), is if one has a stake in it, expects to get

> something

> > out of it, wants some particular result. If compassion is

> limitless,

> > infinite, then how can it ever be wasted?

> >

> >

> > > Compassion is for everyone of

> > > course; but like someone who continues to stick their hand in

the

> > > fire and not learn it gets burnt, your patience, and

> > > compassion gets somewhat stretched. Compassion is ok for one

> time,

> > > we all make mistakes ..

> >

> >

> > *****For me, the more someone is witnessed sticking her/his

hand in

> > the fire (metaphorically), the more compassion is born in me.

The

> > cycle they are caught in becomes more and more apparent and the

> sense

> > of empthy enlivens.

> >

> > And yet, I am reminded, I really don't know what is going on in

> > her/his head. Any kind of " horrific " experience that I imagine

> > he/she is going through is born out of my imagination and may

not

> > accord with what is so for him/her. Thus there is recognition

that

> > anything I believe I know about his/her " plight " is, in fact,

of my

> > own making.

> >

> >

> >