Compassion: “A feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.”
I have always known the definition of that word without even having to look it up, but I had never really given it a lot of thought until a string of tornadoes crashed their way through our region a few weeks ago. The destruction left in the storms’ wake is heart-breaking, but the resilience of those affected and the compassion of those who are helping them put the pieces of their lives back together are absolutely uplifting.
Folks have traveled from points far and wide to help pick up debris, cut down and remove fallen and mangled trees, and distribute food, water and other necessities. Some are even helping replace missing roofs and walls in the homes and businesses that were lucky enough to survive the onslaught of the twisters more or less intact.
When we see disasters such as this play out on the TV news, we typically have feelings of deep sympathy for the victims while at the same time feeling a sense of relief that it happened to someone else instead of us. But it’s a simple fact that one day it just might be us who find ourselves sifting through the battered remains of our homes trying to salvage those precious family photos and priceless keepsakes that can never be replaced.
Watching all of the volunteers from neighboring states work side by side with our friends and neighbors as they try to recover from what is quite possibly the darkest period of their lives gives me renewed faith in the goodness of our fellow men and women. America is without a doubt the greatest nation on earth. And Americans are amazing people. The power of compassion will always endure.
About the author: Rick Rouse is the owner of RLROUSE.COM.
Credits: Photo courtesy of Johan Van Den Berg.