May all beings be happy and free from suffering...

What is compassion? When we reflect upon this virtue we often think to ourselves that having compassion means "being nice to others who are suffering" or "showing empathy". But is that really what compassion is?

Websters defines compassion as: sympathetic consciousness of others' distress together with a desire to alleviate it

Look at the last part of that sentence- "together with a desire to alleviate it". I think that is a part that sometimes we forget. That there is an active and vital part to compassion. There is a call to action with compassion. It is not merely the thinking of sympathetic thoughts or the acknowledging of someone else's pain... it is coupled with a strong personal desire to alleviate the pain of the other person.

"May all beings be happy and free from suffering."