I have written so often about compassion here on my blog. And here I am on a beautiful Friday morning in London writing about it again.
To start with, do check out the wonderful and inspirational video above. I challenge you to be not inspired and wanting to go out and change the world too!
This morning I had been reflecting on what to write about and it is funny how inspiration can come from anywhere. There is this eternal perfectionist in me which stops me from writing just another “ordinary” post and the downside of course is that often I simply don’t write!
Does that sound familiar to you?
Conversely when I just let my writing flow and write from the heart, I find that I write quite well, it flows and others can relate to it.
This morning I got an email from my friend Fred Sarkari inviting me to visit his latest blog where he had featured the above video clip about Geniene’s work.
I was one of the many people who helped Geniene get ready for her Sri Lankan trip, just after Tsunami in Dec 2004.
A Sri Lankan friend, Eshan had helped set up a charity called Tear Drop Relief to bring back the smile on the faces of Sri Lankan children. Amazingly, they had taken 2 London red buses to Sri Lanka as Fun Buses for the orphans. I connected Geniene with Eshan and she ended up travelling on the buses for a while painting faces as the bus went from village to village!
Isn’t it just wonderful when people you connect can then go on and create such great life-changing synergies!
Fred has just written about how compassion changes the world and feeds the soul
This really resonated with me as it takes so little for us to show some kindness, bring more love and compassion into the world and make a difference to those around us.
The lesson I keep learning is that it is so easy to show kindness and a single act can go a long way. For example, last night I was at a little cafe with 2 other friends and this place only had 6 bar stools where we could sit and eat.
I initially moved along so that a family of three – a man and his two children could have more space. They only had 2 stools between. I then gave my stool to the father and all this time hardly a word was uttered between us. But the look of gratitude and appreciation in their eyes and faces needed no words.
It really takes so little for us to help others and it would be wonderful if we can all spend some time and energy everyday to do a little bit for others. And of course we also need to learn to receive!
We don’t even need to travel halfway around the world to show that we care – compassion can indeed begin at home, within out families, our neighbourhood, our workplace and so on.
Of course it is truly wonderful when people such as my friend Geniene in the video travel to far off places and make such a significant contribution.
What I have also learnt is that compassion begins even nearer than home – within ourselves – we really need to become kinder to ourselves. For whatever reasons often we are our harshest critics and it is so easy to show compassion to others and very little to ourselves.
I also wonder what being a perfectionist tells me about myself? Where do I need to show more compassion towards myself?! Maybe it is about becoming even more accepting of myself and realising that actually I am great as I am!
We all have this ceaseless self-talk and perhaps it is time to become more aware of this and let go of it gradually. Easier said than done, I know, but let us begin somewhere today.
Where in your life can you bring more compassion?
How can you being to show more kindness and compassion to yourself?
Arvind …. Thank you… the response of this video has truly been quite something .. I have received such inspired and inspiring messages.
CONSIDERATION
This is truly a time where LOVE is the true key to living and being happy. I personally have been on a journey to receive and well when we open the gates fully to receive it comes flooding in…considering we also have needs.
We all create that which is in our lives. do we not?…. when we give love … thats what comes back and so same goes for when we don’t. The universe is full of love. we just need to allow it.
SELF LOVE
I personally have been holding women’s circles and decided to encourage our masculine within to take a trip out to the florest and buy our feminine within the most beautiful bunch of flowers… the ones we hope a partner would wish to buy for us!
This mission bought up all sorts of ‘stuff’ for me! thinking ‘those ones will do’, or ‘those are on offer’ … ‘self worth issues’ I bought the ones that first attracted me and I have enjoyed the flowers for 4 days then took them around to my 80 year old amazing inspiring elder for her to enjoy! she was blown away! my choice of flowers was the right choice! its was so beautiful to share this appreciation of our mother earths amazing gifts! … I now need to go and buy myself another bunch! maybe this time it will be a little easier!
Blessings to you Arvind and to all that are in your life.
love and sparkles geniene xx
Arvind,
This is an absolutely beautiful post. Compassion is so important and a necessary part of living. Both the giving and receiving end. I like you have difficulty with having compassion for myself. Self-judgement and self-loathing is more often my response, but I recognize it now and am becoming more compassionate with myself. What has been working for me is finally being able to look at myself as an abused little girl who deserves compassion and love. But, it first started with allowing others to show that to me. But, before that I had to show my real self. It resonates so much of Emma’s recent post.
Perfectionism. The biggest motivator and biggest discourager. We’re practically one in the same. I know that filling my head with more compassionate words by writing them down on paper and posting them up helped to counter balance all the negative talk.
Anyway, I’m not sure if I’m speaking for myself or to you. I also meant to respond on the day you posted this, but wasn’t feeling well. Don’t ever lose site of that compassionate heart of yours, that is such a treasure.
Be good to yourself,
CC
Thanks CC for your input and all your kind words.
Yes, time to put the perfectionism aside and to be compassionate to ourselves and others.
Love and best wishes
Arvind
I have a real nice one for you CC
a gift from one of the many sacred trees…
IMPERFECTION= IM PERFECTION
much love and thanks for your words of truth and sharing the real you xxx blessings
Arvind,
Thanks! 🙂