Compassion and Simplicity

These two words came up during a long drive back to Maine.  We were discussing with the children who is more important - President Obama or the check out clerk at the grocery store.  We realized (and thank goodness children did) that both have value and neither has less value than the other (even if someone does not have a job they still have value).  However, if we want someone who can run the country President Obama might be the better choice but for running the check out computer, hands down the grocery store clerk.  So each person is very important but for different reason and no one is any less important than the other (I am sure that President Obama could learn the register and the clerk could also do well in a political role).  But where we ended up was a discussion on compassion.  To me, compassion is more than placing yourself in someone else's shoes.  It involves really trying to understand that persons point of view and allowing yourself to feel the emotions which come from that understanding.  When we strive for simplicity, it is a quest of compassion for ideals and concepts that are known and unknown to us.  I can feel compassion for my impact on my local ecology but I will never know what my impact may be on someone or something on the other side of the world.  I may know my immediate impact but what about the future implications. I guess the idea of linking compassion and simplicity, returns to a understanding of being mindful.  Mindful of all our actions, great or small.  We may still choose to do something, but at least we have taken the time to contemplate compassion around our decision.

So I am announcing a new political party

The Compassion Party

Let me know if you want to attend the convention???

Peace