Compassion

Compassion is something I have found myself not being able to have all that often until recently.  I read my friend Tiffany's book, "Sick Girl Speaks," and she talks a lot about having compassion for not only our caregivers, but for all the other people in the world not going through chronic illness.  Once and a while I would find myself thinking I was superior, or people were lesser than me because they haven't gone what I have gone through.  But I realize that is not going to make the world a better place.

I found compassion in the place where I thought I would never feel compassion...the Republican National Convention.  Now, for those Democrats out there you might find this to be crazy, and don't worry I am not going to become a Republican anytime soon.  I figure if I am so passionate about politics I must watch the Republican National Convention as well.  I was sitting at home the other day and I turned on the t.v to watch McCain speak.  I was ready for a lot of bashing toward what he would have to say, but I found quite the contrary.  Yes, I did boo and hiss when we was saying things that I did not like, but there was no way I could deny the hardships he has gone through in his life.  Do I think he should win the presidency, hell no, but he does deserve some praise for still being alive after all that he went through as a POW.

This is where my compassion came in.  I could not even fathom all the breaking of his bones, or all the brutal beatings, but I could find compassion for the suffering he went through.  Compassion can be hard for anyone to find within themselves especially when you have much anger against someone or a group of people.  For McCain, I wish him compassion on the American people, and realize that he needs to find compassion for the people who are suffering in any type of was in this country.  I hope he can also put his own agenda aside, and realize that this war is not about him, and we should be ending this war as soon as we can.  My hope for John McCain is that he can find compassion for the Iraqi people, and realize this is not our war to fight any longer, and we are doing a diservice by staying there and fighting unknown enemies.

Compassion is hard for anyone to have for another, but I ask that we all try a little harder in this crazy mixed up world.  I will try harder to find compassion, and I hope you do too!