Compassion

I think this is one of my biggest flaws - that I am not always compassionate enough.  I don't feel all that moved to help when bad things happen to people (sometimes, there are exceptions to this), I don't cry hearing someone's sad family story, I don't feel strange if I don't volunteer every few weeks, I sometimes make it really obvious (not intentionally) if I don't like someone.  I often wish I were more compassionate.  

And yet, I am sometimes amazed at how much LESS compassionate than me others can be.  It pains me to hear people say that they don't feel they should give of their time and resources to others because those people got themselves into trouble, so too bad.  Yes, it's true.  And I am all about justice.  But when those people's bad actions harm others - children, for example - I can't stand by and do nothing.  I can't change anyone, but I can help in small ways, and I want to.  The whole "survival of the fittest" attitude about it really hurts my heart, because it's almost never as simple as it sounds. 


I also see people quite often who feel it is beneath them to volunteer.  They want to spend their time and money on themselves, period.  Maybe on someone they like personally.  I get that.  I am selfish, in some ways - I love the treats in my life, and my personal time.  But the thought that I shouldn't have to give of my time to strangers at all - it seems too extremely selfish.


It's a balancing act, this matter of giving of time and money.  I am far from perfecting it, and often just fall off the tightrope and stare at it, honestly.  But I want to try, and what's more, I want to surround myself with people who feel the same way, and in my world of mostly successful young professionals, it's proving hard to find.  Big downer.