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The Courage to be Compassionate
By Jacquelyn Sendak
Once at a weekly Angel Prayer Group that I was conducting, two young men in their early 20s attended. Anyone could drop into the group so I never knew who would show up. The two men had served in the Gulf War.
At the beginning of each group, I would ask if anyone wanted to share either an Angel encounter story or an "aha story." An "aha story" is a happening or a miracle capable of changing one's life dramatically.
One of the young soldiers said he wanted to tell about the experience of his buddy here who was in the Gulf War. It was not unusual for veterans to share angel stories with me. However, I was unprepared for the powerful and moving story that this man was about to reveal to our group. I never had forgotten it since it also moved me very much. This is a true example of Courageous Compassion. I asked his friend if it was alright for him to share this story, or if he wanted to tell it. He modestly replied that it was fine for his friend to tell the story.
The American soldier was fighting in the Gulf War and got captured. The enemy soldier who captured him was very fanatical and full of hatred toward Americans. He could not wait to kill him. He had his weapon aimed at his American prisioner and was preparing to end his life, when he asked him if he had any last requests before he died. The young American soldier couragously said that since he was the last human being he would see on earth before his death he wanted a hug.
This request so unnerved the enemy soldier that he started crying and put down his gun. He was so moved that he hugged him and released the American!
We can talk about compassion with friends, family, etc. However, when faced with fear, terror, death, etc... with a complete stranger from another world it takes tremendous courage and compassion to relate to such a person as a human being.
When the young man's friend finished this story to our group, there was not a dry eye in the room. His action moved everyone very deeply. I turned to the American soldier and asked in amazement if he really did this. He modestly said, yes this was a true story. He did not elaborate on it.
In my many years of doing prayer groups, never have I heard a story that expressed compassion in such a powerful way. Ever since I always wondered if I would be strong, compassionate and inspired enough to live in my own truth as this young man did.
Small Steps Leading To A Greater Goal
By Pat Preble
The following is something I heard His Holiness the Dalai Lama say in a speech once. I am sure he has said it many times to many people and a lot of people have heard it. For those who have not had the joy of hearing His Holiness speak, in paraphrase this is what he said:
"When we, as individuals, look around the world, it seems that the problems are so great as to be beyond our ability to solve or do anything about. We feel we would like to do something, but the task is so enormous and we feel so small. What can we do? We can work in our own sphere of influence; in our community, with our friends and family. This is the basis for our world and for the world as a whole as well. And if we would practice compassion in the grocery line, or while stuck in traffic, this would make an enormous difference on a planetary scale. These things seem small, but they grow. It begins in the community. It begins with your family, co-workers and friends. This is the world where you can have immense influence and make an enormous difference. If every single person on earth practiced compassion like this, then all of these problems we have would no longer exist. We need to start somewhere. I ask you to begin with your own lives."
I implemented His Holiness' ideas, particularly in the grocery line. That seemed to stick in my mind the most. Now, instead of being frustrated with long waits in any kinds of lines or in traffic, my thoughts go to His Holiness' message about practicing compassion in the sphere of my own world. I do indeed feel much happier. And, at work also, I have been looking to see more deeply into the stresses and problems pressuring people which cause them to act less than pleasant sometimes. That has made a big difference as well in how I interact with people and definitely has increased the pleasure factor in my life. I highly recommend the practice of individual compassion on a very small community level. May it grow!
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