1000 Voices Speak For Compassion: What is Compassion

1000 Voices Speak For Compassion

Yvonne Spencer mentioned this idea to me in a tweet this week. This is the question she posed after ruminating on some of the troubles blighting the world today.

How cool would it be if we could get 1000 bloggers on the same day to write posts about compassion, kindness, support, caring for others, non-judgement etc.? (Date to be decided.[it’s suggested 20th February 2015])
We could call it 1000 Voices For Compassion.
Who’s in?

Well I am. Here’s a a link  to Yvonne’s Blog and post  here 

What is compassion?

It is the capacity to want to help others, to feel for others. It is in short what should separate us from the animals. Sadly compassion seems to be spread very thin these days. Thousands starving and dying of thirst, disease and  war. What are we doing, we turn down our TVs and look away. They even have a name for this, Charity Fatigue.

Compassion for others

Comfort me in  my  hour of need

Open your eyes and ears to me take heed

Mindfulness is needed here in the world

Pain and grief are like weapons  hurled.

All the  woes of  this vale of tears

Scream loudly in our ears

Sacred heart  give us hope

In you we trust , help us  cope.

OH! help us  to help each other

Now in our hour of need to love our sister and brother.

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The face

I do  not  know  who  this  man is but  I have used his  face more  than once when  writing  about  compassion. There  is  something  in his  eyes that  reach out  telling  his  story pain, grief  rejection it is  all there!

I used  his  face  last  at Christmas while I was  talking  about  Crisis at Christmas .  Crisis is  the National Charity  for single  hopeless people. They  are dedicated  to  helping  people  and  giving  them a chane  to change  their life’s for the better, to give  them hope.

The  Charity  works  all year  round of  course  but  they  also do  Crisis at Christmas.  Volenteers spend a  fortnight  cooking  for , providing  a  warm place  to stay  for those  lost and lonely people. They  give  them new  clothes , a  hair cut  if  they want  and  also help  them  to change  their  lives if  they  want  to. They  help  with  finding somewhere  to live  or a job  interview .

They  show  real  compassion  they  help  and  they are unpaid and  they  really  make  a  difference.

Homeless young

Homeless young

Jen, she was cheeky girl always having fun

Staying out late and playing up in the end it got too much for her mum!

After a big row one night  in the summer she asked Jen to go,

So she is struggling along out here now,

When you are homeless it is amazing how fast your friends all go.

Rob,  well his story is very sad,

It all started with his drinking then he discovered drugs

He became violent and everything turned bad.

Homeless and addicted

He fell out with his mother’s boyfriend who told him he had to go

And then threw him out into the January snow.

The reasons are legion you can take your pick,

People  who  loose  their jobs  because  they became  sick

From parents who can’t cope

To addictions that make you loose all hope,

Parents or family who beat you, family who will not stop at a touch

They want, you to give them, it all gets way too much.

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Mess in the alley

It’s finally stopped raining but your jeans are soaking wet

and if it were not for the tricks men make you turn you’d be worried about the cold that you could get.

The day is nearly over descending in to grey

you’re better off staying here now you are already wet and they need not see for what they pay.

You are feeling very twitchy it is hours since your last fix

your stomach is turning somersaults and your mood is between and betwixt.

You watch people passing the end of your little patch

some with shopping some with children all with lives you’d love to snatch.

School children walking home ipods in their ears

you pick up their discarded cigarettes and wistfully long for their, undone homework fears.

Life is so simple for them and some are older than you.

They would spill their guts and run a mile had they had to do some of the things you do.

If you did not feel so dizzy you really would stand up you need to tart your face up and put on a smile

the punters will be out soon soyou need to be ready in a while.

You hope and pray that you can score tonight the cramps are getting worse

and your legs are not up to running so there is no point in pinching some old dears purse.

You marvel at the fact that these men will still use you,

you look a mess and smell even worse but still you thank God that they do.

Why is your head thumping, you’ve not felt that way before

have you got enough cash for a sandwich you’ve some money in your back pocket of that you’re pretty sure.

Why can’t you stand up you push your hand down on the floor.

God what is this, is it blood it is, it is all over your hands and more.

Your legs have turn to jelly and you have never felt so cold

your chest feels tight and your guts hurt you so, you need to move you feel a hundred years old.

There is someone coming , you reach out for help,

they see the blood, they are so shocked they let out a yelp.

They haven’t stopped they have left you here what are you to do

Your life’s blood is leaving you fast and as you shed a tear

it all begins to go black suddenly, yet you feel no fear.

“Some one call an ambulance, but I think it is too late .

How could she just be left here and in such a state.”

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Surely  we can feel compassion  for the awful  things we see in this  world. Not only  the young and old people  we see destitute  on our  streets. There  are  people all over  the world  suffering , women, men  children  in wars, ebola struck areas, prisoners  of  depotic people all over  the world.

What  can  we  do, buy  someone  homeless a sandwich, coffee, help  people . Be  empathic , love  care  learn true  compassion.

Tiny hand

Tiny little fingers in the dust,

Huge eyes so sad begging for your crust.

You are so hungry you need it for you

But this is your child, who you can’t deny, true?

Hunger gnawing at your bones like cancer spreading fast.

You worry if you’ll be strong enough to find water, as what you have just will not last.

No one is going to help you, your sons and daughters gone for soldiers.

These two left will escape that fate as they will not grow much older.

Famine

Your milk dried up, your belly empty.

It hurts so much to walk but walk you must, you can’t stop.

The baby at your breast has long since ceased  crying.

This sweet young child clinging to your skirt is dying.

Where is the help  that was promised where is the aid that you need.

You have walked days now with no hope of helping your children not even to feed.

The baby needs medicine the western doctors dispense 

You have to flee from your home just were is the sense.

War at your left side famine at your righ,

 Politicians and corrupt leaders uncaring of your plight.

Had you stayed they would of killed you or worse …

OH! my poor children your birth is your curse.

Standing at the top of the hill

You can see a straggling encampment a red cross flag flying still.

You put down the baby his soul already flown

Peace ?

To your husbands arms now, at least not alone.

You need to rest  but your aim is in reach .

You lay in the dust next to your babes, close your eyes  just ignore the flies.

Tiny little fingers in the dust , huge eyes so sad finally closed.

Where is  the help that was promised where is the aid.

War on your left side famine at your right

They no longer threaten you Death has arrive to erase your plight.

1000 Voices Speak For Compassion