by Steve Glenn

Created on: March 22, 2009

Compassion is one of the most important character qualities that parents can develop within themselves and within their children. Buddha, Jesus, Ghandi, and Mother Teresa all demonstrated compassion toward the poor, the hurting, and the sick. They became great because of their compassion. They didn't play the victim in a world that needed tons of love. They took the responsibility to do something when others stood by and hoped for change. In the name of compassion, they gave their lives. Therefore, developing compassion within the family unit should be a lifestyle not only for the family but also for the community.

To be or not to be compassionate is the question. There is always a chance that our compassion will not be appreciated. Little acts of kindness go unappreciated everyday. Holding the door for a stranger, helping an elderly person across the street, or giving a homeless person a few dollars might not get you a "Thank You" response. You might also feel awkward and uncomfortable because no one else is showing compassion. These are all issues to consider. But compassion should be done without expecting something in return. It should be considered a responsibility because of the consequences of not demonstrating it. For example, if there were no food pantries and homeless shelters in our communities many people would starve to death or freeze to death in winter's cold. Many victims of crime and violence would not survive if no one assisted them or called the authorities. Many families of 9/11 and Katrina victims would have suffered greatly without the kindness of strangers. Compassion is needed everywhere because there is so much suffering in the world.

However, the rewards of compassion are beautiful. Firstly, demonstrating compassion in our lives gives us joy and a sense of purpose. When we seek the common good of every member in our community we are showing responsibility. To be a Good Samaritan is to be a good citizen. When we give of our money, service, and time to people we empower them to survive and to believe that there is love in the world.

When we teach our children to show compassion we teach them the qualities of responsibility and leadership. We let them know that they are not victims and that they have the power to influence change in the world. This gives them pride and a sense of well being.

There are many ways to show compassion. All we need to do is to become sensitive to the needs of people in our community. We become compassionate by helping our unemployed neighbor across the street, by volunteering to help underprivileged youth, and by serving at the food shelter across town. These are all ways to show that we caring and responsible citizens. These activities make life worthwhile. There will always be a need for compassion. As long as sickness, poverty, and hatred remain facts of reality, many families of good Samaritans will be called upon to enlist in the army of compassion.

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