When My Life Is In Danger

Here is a nice article by Christina Feldman that I would like to reflect upon.

Compassion is a caring feeling that arises in us when we see someone going through suffering. Seeing someone suffering evokes compassion in me and an inclination in me to reach out and help the person to heal him. Seeing a person going through emotional pain touches my heart and creates emotional bond with the other person.
I have gone though deep suffering in my life. I accepted my suffering and went through the process of healing me. It took time to heal my emotional wounds. I had learned to face my suffering compassionately rather than fleeing away from it, from my own being. I had gone though several days of darkness and pain. Working on myself compassionately helped me understand and relate to suffering of other people. In my everyday life I run into young and old people going through small and big sufferings. Walking in and going though my own suffering taught me how to empathize with them, understand them and hold their hands as they are going through their suffering. Such experiences are spiritual experiences for me. They make me a whole person.

According to my understanding and experience we all have the potential to cultivate our heart qualities. What helps us to develop such qualities are people in our life who practice compassion. I always remember the wise saying of Mahatma Gandhi, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." I was blessed to have parents, friends and teachers as role models as I was growing up. They provided me nourishment to cultivate the seeds of compassion and kindness in my heart. Remembering my own suffering and Keeping my heart open to suffering of others helps me to develop and sustain my heart qualities.