“Compassion asks us to go where it hurts, to enter into the places of pain, to share in brokenness, fear, confusion, and anguish. Compassion challenges us to cry out with those in misery, to mourn with those who are lonely, to weep with those in tears. Compassion requires us to be weak with the weak, vulnerable with the vulnerable, and powerless with the powerless. Compassion means full immersion in the condition of being human.”
Henri J.M. Nouwen
It’s snowing again this morning. If you look closely you’ll see a bicyclist pedaling across campus to their class. Weather app says it’s 14 degrees with 17 mph winds and feels like -2 degrees. With these weather conditions maybe we could say the bicyclist is super human.
Anyway, I thought the quote represents something the political and social powers of the world need to understand more about, actually experience themselves. Stay warm!!!!
4 Comments
Faye
Youth is a great insulator. 😉
Compassion is in short supply in the world today. Very disheartening.
Monte Stevens
Yes, youth is a great insulator. Made me laugh.
Maybe if we live compassion then it won’t be as disheartening. We will know we have done what is good for our neighbor.
Tom Dills
That cyclist is making the best of an uncomfortable situation. Much like you do when you venture out before dawn to your natural areas. Takes a little fortitude but the rewards are many.
Monte Stevens
And, we are more acclimated than anyone from a warmer climate.