Everyday Canvas

Compassion: The Way I See It.

Prompt: What do you think “compassion” is? Can one show compassion even for one’s worst enemy?

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I think compassion is the feeling that drives us to try to erase, or if not, ease the suffering of our fellowmen and all living creatures, to remove ourselves from the center of what constitutes our world and put that other living being there, simply because we respect the sacredness of all life. Compassion, also means, to me, to resist the temptation of inflicting pain on others, no matter what, and treating everybody, without exception, with impartiality, justice, and respect.


In this way, compassion becomes a way of relating oneself toward the rest of humanity and all life by transcending self-interest and egoism. This has nothing to do with religion or any other spiritual practices; it has to do with how we are in our own highest esteem, as compassion ennobles. Isn’t it true that we feel enhanced when we meet a truly compassionate person? For the sake of an easy example, imagine yourself in the role of meeting Mother Theresa or someone like Mother Theresa? And who wouldn’t feel uplifted by the actions of this man in this video?



Sometimes, unfortunately, compassion slips away from our hands, and we go after revenge and other negative motives by shielding ourselves with terminology such as closure, justice, right of way, etc. Part of this may be blamed on receding mores and our economy that is competitive and individualistic, but most of it is the result of us not knowing ourselves thoroughly, by minimizing that each one of us has a higher self which demands we live up to its expectations; yet, somehow, we manage to silence that perfect internal voice.

Compassion has to do with our interdependence of humanity and all life; thus, inflicting pain on others or enjoying their pain, be it they are our worst enemy, has to be a denial of our own humanity. I also understand that, in theory, what I have written so far sounds nice and lofty, but putting compassion into action is very difficult and it needs a conscious pulling it out of abstraction on our part.

Can I show compassion for my worst enemy? I don’t truly know. I might be able to forgive a personal affront, but I consider Osama bin Laden my worst enemy and I can’t honestly say that I didn’t feel relief and downright joy when he was killed, because I did. Maybe, I am not as altruistic and compassionate as I would like me to be, at least not just yet.