Good morning. 🪿🪿🪿 27 October 2025 Do you ever think about compassion? It’s an intriguing concept—one I’ve always wrestled with. I recognize my shortcomings in that regard and try harder because of them. My wife disagrees when I say I lack compassion, but then again, can one person ever truly know how another feels? Maybe not. After all, we only see others from the outside. It’s like judging a book by its cover—except the cover is always moving, always changing. Compassion begins with recognition—noticing that someone is hurting in some way. But it doesn’t stop there. It asks for a response, some behavior that might ease their suffering. That response is rooted in empathy: the ability to put yourself in another’s shoes, to try and feel what they’re feeling. That part is hard, especially if you don’t really know the person. There’s a neurological basis for empathy—mirror neurons, oxytocin, the so-called bonding hormone. These mechanisms make it easier to recognize suffering, especially in those closest to us. I say “people,” but these feelings extend to animals too. Compassion isn’t limited by species—it’s a sovereign act of emotional recognition. And yet, compassion can be quiet. We might not always recognize it, even when it’s happening. It doesn’t always announce itself. Sometimes it’s just a gesture, a pause, a presence. Compassion requires action. It’s not just watching someone suffer—it’s responding. Often, that response carries moral weight. You feel compelled to help, even if it’s just offering condolences, a hand on the shoulder, or a moment of shared silence. That, too, is compassion. “Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.” — Theodore Roosevelt “Let our hearts be stretched out in compassion toward others, for everyone is walking his or her own difficult path.” — Dieter F. Uchtdorf “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.” — Attributed to Plato #morning #ducks #compassion #lake #birds #photography
