Our next door neighbour confides that he has two weeks to a month to a live.

“You’ll be seeing lots of my daughter around,” he says with his customary big grin.

I take his frail hand in mine and offer condolences.

“I’m not afraid of dying; it’s what happens leading up to that moment that I fear.”

I nod. My mother says the same thing.

News comes that another friend of ours is within hours of death.

Whatever fear I might have for my own health is put aside with concerns for those whose needs are greater. Compassion is called for.

I know from past experience how powerful compassion can be – no words or wisdom needed – just a firm, kind presence.

This week’s focus on compassion has been heart-warming, and serves as a reminder that above all else, we are, at our core, caring beings.

Thank you to all who participated. Please visit the posts and read the quality thoughts expressed:

Stuff and what if… Self-Compassion
Proscenium Stuck Inside a Cloud
parallax We Will
awisewomansjourney Compassion
Poetry For Healing Compassion
Reflections of An Untidy Mind I Am, You Are, We Are Australian – Or At Least We Could Be
one letter UP Compassion
Willow’s Poetry A Moment’s Pause
EASTELMHURST.A.GO.GO About Compassion
Sgeoil A Compassionate World

(Pingbacks have been unreliable lately, so please let me know if I missed anyone.)

See you tomorrow for a new, and totally different, challenge.