Having problems with message search?
KIND WORDS
View with Compassion
View with Compassion
"Helping with Music"
The author wishes to remain anonymous
Edited by Shmuel Greenbaum
Printed with Permission of http://www.TraditionOfKindness.org
One of my neighbors in Ramot was very involved in helping thirteen families who had run away from the bombs in Nahariya, in Northern Israel. She found housing for the families in a two family building in our neighborhood.
I asked her what I could do to help. She told me "all they need is money." So, I promptly wrote a check.
Then I asked her how else I could be of help. She said that "the group needs to get out and be kept busy." I asked her if it would help if I could organize a musical group that could perform for the women and children; the reply was "certainly!"
So I did just that. Since I am a violinist, I have many friends who are musicians. Within a few hours I called up a choir leader, got names of her best singers, called up a pianist and a guitarist whom I knew.
We had three short rehearsals. At the end of the third rehearsal we went directly over to the families and played a most moving concert. The coordinator then passed my telephone to another group of northerners hunkered down in Ramot. We played to a third group in Jerusalem’s Old City neighborhood, three nights later.
We would have continued doing our good deeds had there been a need. Thank G-d the terrorist bombings had ended.
It was amazing what kindness was spread with a little effort and a lot of goodwill.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"View with Compassion"
From: Kindness: Making a Difference in People's Lives: Formulas, stories, and insights
By Zelig Pliskin
Printed with Permission of Shaar Press
When you watch other people, what you see will depend on what is important to you or what interests you at the time. A barber will notice styles and quality of haircuts. A tailor will notice clothing. A salesman will notice if this person seems like a potential customer. A pickpocket will notice the likelihood of perpetrating and getting away with his crime. A critical person will notice what is wrong with this person. And a compassionate person will notice opportunities to be compassionate. Be compassionate. This elevates you greatly.
Whenever you see someone who is in distress or who is crying, it is a time to be compassionate. Whenever you see someone who is lost, it is a time to be compassionate. Whenever you see someone who needs a loan, it is a time to be compassionate. Whenever you see someone who is angry, it is a time to be compassionate. Whenever you see someone with faulty character traits, it is a time to be compassionate. Every fault or lack or limitation or mistake or need of another person is a wake-up call for you to be compassionate.
When you view someone with compassion, you don’t condemn or insult. When you view someone with compassion, you don’t ignore his or her needs. When you view someone with compassion, you don’t condescend. When you view someone with compassion, you say kind words and do what you can to help. When you view someone with compassion, you yourself become more of a compassionate person.
Isn’t there a danger with too much compassion? Yes, the Talmud states that a person who has an excessive amount of compassion will live a life that’s not really living. There is so much suffering that if you view everyone’s suffering as your own, it will be impossible to bear such a heavy burden. But when your compassion is balanced and with an appropriate measure for your unique personality, your compassion will enhance your life and the lives of many others.
A student related the following incident to me:
I witnessed a father berating his young son in a brutal manner. The son was cringing and you could see the terror on his face. I was walking with an older friend and I whispered to him, "I can’t just walk by. I have to do something."
"What do you plan to do?" my friend asked me.
"I’m going to tell off that father. The way he speaks makes me furious. No child should be treated like that."
"It’s great that you have compassion for that child. And we need to have compassion for the father also. It’s obvious that if he treats his son like this, he was treated this way by others. If you just scream at the father, he most likely will take out his frustration and embarrassment on his son later on."
I watched my friend approach the father. With sincere care and concern he said to him, "It’s obvious that you care about your child. And it’s obvious that your child has done things to get you angry. I also have children and I also lose my temper. Can we please talk? I have some ideas that have helped me. You know your child better than I do. But perhaps my experiences can be helpful for you also."
The tone of voice of my friend was respectful and compassionate. I was amazed to see the father, who I viewed as a terrible, evil person, calm down right before my eyes.
"I thank you for your offer," the father said. "I feel at a total loss. I hate losing my temper. But I do it over and over again. I would be extremely grateful if you can give me some tips on being a more effective parent."
The power of compassion that I witnessed was unbelievable. The very next time I observed that father interact with his son, I saw a remarkable improvement.
From: Kindness: Making a Difference in People's Lives: Formulas, stories, and insights
By Zelig Pliskin
Printed with Permission of Shaar Press
When you watch other people, what you see will depend on what is important to you or what interests you at the time. A barber will notice styles and quality of haircuts. A tailor will notice clothing. A salesman will notice if this person seems like a potential customer. A pickpocket will notice the likelihood of perpetrating and getting away with his crime. A critical person will notice what is wrong with this person. And a compassionate person will notice opportunities to be compassionate. Be compassionate. This elevates you greatly.
Whenever you see someone who is in distress or who is crying, it is a time to be compassionate. Whenever you see someone who is lost, it is a time to be compassionate. Whenever you see someone who needs a loan, it is a time to be compassionate. Whenever you see someone who is angry, it is a time to be compassionate. Whenever you see someone with faulty character traits, it is a time to be compassionate. Every fault or lack or limitation or mistake or need of another person is a wake-up call for you to be compassionate.
When you view someone with compassion, you don’t condemn or insult. When you view someone with compassion, you don’t ignore his or her needs. When you view someone with compassion, you don’t condescend. When you view someone with compassion, you say kind words and do what you can to help. When you view someone with compassion, you yourself become more of a compassionate person.
Isn’t there a danger with too much compassion? Yes, the Talmud states that a person who has an excessive amount of compassion will live a life that’s not really living. There is so much suffering that if you view everyone’s suffering as your own, it will be impossible to bear such a heavy burden. But when your compassion is balanced and with an appropriate measure for your unique personality, your compassion will enhance your life and the lives of many others.
A student related the following incident to me:
I witnessed a father berating his young son in a brutal manner. The son was cringing and you could see the terror on his face. I was walking with an older friend and I whispered to him, "I can’t just walk by. I have to do something."
"What do you plan to do?" my friend asked me.
"I’m going to tell off that father. The way he speaks makes me furious. No child should be treated like that."
"It’s great that you have compassion for that child. And we need to have compassion for the father also. It’s obvious that if he treats his son like this, he was treated this way by others. If you just scream at the father, he most likely will take out his frustration and embarrassment on his son later on."
I watched my friend approach the father. With sincere care and concern he said to him, "It’s obvious that you care about your child. And it’s obvious that your child has done things to get you angry. I also have children and I also lose my temper. Can we please talk? I have some ideas that have helped me. You know your child better than I do. But perhaps my experiences can be helpful for you also."
The tone of voice of my friend was respectful and compassionate. I was amazed to see the father, who I viewed as a terrible, evil person, calm down right before my eyes.
"I thank you for your offer," the father said. "I feel at a total loss. I hate losing my temper. But I do it over and over again. I would be extremely grateful if you can give me some tips on being a more effective parent."
The power of compassion that I witnessed was unbelievable. The very next time I observed that father interact with his son, I saw a remarkable improvement.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
of our Upcoming Book
E-mail your photos to info@...
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Kindness in Many
Languages
To Subscribe and visit our archives, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Potentiel_de_Bonte/ (French)
http://espanol.groups.yahoo.com/group/LapracticadelaBondad/ (Spanish)
http://de.groups.yahoo.com/group/FreundlicheWorte/ (German)
http://br.groups.yahoo.com/group/ParceirosNaBondade/ (Portuguese)
If you or your school would like to translate our e-mails into other languages, send an e-mail to:
info@...http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Potentiel_de_Bonte/ (French)
http://espanol.groups.yahoo.com/group/LapracticadelaBondad/ (Spanish)
http://de.groups.yahoo.com/group/FreundlicheWorte/ (German)
http://br.groups.yahoo.com/group/ParceirosNaBondade/ (Portuguese)
If you or your school would like to translate our e-mails into other languages, send an e-mail to:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Kind Words is a free weekly e-mail distributed by Partners In Kindness.
Although the content of these e-mails contains copyrighted material, Partners in Kindness allows users who register at our website to reprint them in print, on a website, or on an e-mail distribution list at no cost.
If you have permission to reprint this e-mail, please ensure that you reprint the entire e-mail (including this notice).
Although the content of these e-mails contains copyrighted material, Partners in Kindness allows users who register at our website to reprint them in print, on a website, or on an e-mail distribution list at no cost.
If you have permission to reprint this e-mail, please ensure that you reprint the entire e-mail (including this notice).
Kindness is like music, art, sports or any other discipline -- it can only be mastered with practice, training, and lots and lots of encouragement. That is what PartnersInKindness.org is trying to promote.
The archive for Kind Words e-mails is located at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PartnersInKindness
For further information, please visit our Website http://www.PartnersInKindness.org
e-mail: info@...
-----------------------------------------------------------------
To un-subscribe send a blank e-mail to:
Kindness-unsubscribe@... To subscribe send a blank e-mail to:
Kindness-subscribe@...
Talk is cheap. Use Yahoo! Messenger to make PC-to-Phone calls. Great rates starting at 1¢/min.
Offline 
Send Email