Compassion - have we lost it?

Compassion for others

On Monday morning the train was so full at peak hour that people were standing in the isles and sitting on the floor in their suits and fancy work clothes.  At a stage I managed to get a seat at the last station before the train ran express to the city.

As I sat down I saw a pregnant lady all huddled up against the other passengers. I offered her my seat, knowing how hard it is when you are pregnant to stand for such a long time. She did not want the seat and as my eyes gased over all the people on the floor, I saw an elderly lady sitting on the floor on a piece of paper.  I then offered my seat to her and she accepted. I could see the relief in her eyes when she looked at me. She struggled to get up and her knees locked up from sitting down on the floor. 

I was standing in the isle for the hour long  journey and again my eyes gased over the sea of people. I could not help to wonder what has happened to our society that nobody would even bother to offer their seat to the elderly or pregnant ladies. There are seats in the train marked as priority seating for people with disabilities, the elderly, pregnant ladies and people with childen, yet everybody conveniently pretended that they did not notice - while they were actually sitting on these seats!

 Again my thoughts drifted… to the recent bush fires in Victoria and I was thinking about how much money we have donated to the bush fire victims.  People showed so much compassion by donating money- heaps of it- and here I was on the peak hour train and I could not see that same compassion. I could not help to wonder why…

Why do we only show compassion when it suits us? Why is it so hard to care about somebody that you don””t even know? I thought about this all day and when I went home my faith in humanity was restored. A well dressed Indian business man jumped up from his seat as the door opened to offer his seat to a disabled man. He did not hesitate for one second!

I quietly sat there with a smile in my heart and sent this lovely man blessings for having such a kind heart and for showing compassion to the disabled stranger. My thoughts drifted to the story in the Bible about showing kindness to strangers, as you never know if the stranger is an angel of the Lord… Bless him.

Victoria

Tags: compassion, Spiritual Development