Beyond Compassion

Sometimes,
it’s not easy to go beyond
compassion.

To accept the challenge
of putting aside our own emotions
of concern.

To lessen our focus
on our good intentions
of wanting to alleviate someone’s suffering
or enhancing their well-being.

Maybe even to suspend
our indignance
and resentment.

So as to make room
for a sense of wonder.

To enhance our focus
on revising our expressions
for greater impact.

Connecting
and staying present with their emotions,
even if we may not like
or want to feel
those emotions.

When Pain Matter

When we realize
that our pain
matters
to other people
not in the sense
that they care about us
or they have compassion for us
but in the sense
that we’re not the only one
whose experiencing this pain
and by me experiencing pain
others’ pain can be alleviated
we start to rise from the pain
with a sense of purpose.