He may well be the most compassionate person I've ever met, because an hour with Bradley (yes, that's his real name) transformed my perception of compassion.
He inspired me as he shared with me his past, having been a victim of the stolen generations. Yet, a litany of things were stolen from him, even to the present day. Rage would certainly be understandable, and the seeking of vengeance, too. But Bradley knew there was no point to such responses of pride. He even said that he must watch his pride, for in that is fuel for the wrong decision.
In the background of his person are his ancestors, the elders of his land, and his family members. He is not one person, but the fullest representation of his people. He spoke a lot about the warrior, an-eye-for-an-eye tribal justice, and the potency of his people should they wish to fight an oppression that continues today. But he said the desire for multiculturalism burned within him.
I could tell he saw into people and could feel others' pain.
He showed me that compassion given makes people bigger; received it makes people better. He regularly referred to his gift, and before we finished chatting I said his gift was compassion. He heartily agreed. His compassion, for all he had personally suffered, had made him a bigger person.
This is what Bradley taught me about compassion:
Compassion sprouts out of a seedbed of soil fertile with suffering where humble responses abide.
Compassion emerges when negative responses to suffering are futile, where despair is not an option. His suffering and the suffering of his people are constant as much as it is real.
Neither anger nor despair are an option, for his entire person is a nation. He cannot afford to capitulate. So, what happens when we're forced to hope in the context of suffering? Life opens our eyes, we see truth with clarity, experience grace aboundingly, and we see more readily others in their suffering.
Steve Wickham holds Degrees in Science, Divinity, and Counselling. Steve writes at: http://epitemnein-epitomic.blogspot.com.au/ and http://tribework.blogspot.com.au/
By Steve Wickham
Article Source: A Homeless Indigenous Man's Compassion
Taun17 is a name implied in the dreamland,which is the 17th by which there is a Pen Taun17 in Life In This Virtual World
A Homeless Indigenous Man's Compassion
Label:
Canada,
Dream,
France,
Germany,
Hits,
Netherlands,
Russia,
Short Story,
Switzerland,
Taun17,
United States
Haus Persaingan
Haus Persaingan Cerita ini berisi tema atau penyebutan kekerasan fisik, gore, atau pelecehan. Saya telah menatap layar selama berjam-jam. ...
-
In the competitor world, customer wants a reliable solution which easy buying process. By using mobile app , customer can easily find their...
-
Yantra can be simply explained as a divine geometry. There are many yantras. The most powerful yantra is called as Sri Yantra. It is also ca...
-
If you want to be happy for the rest of your life. The focus of these words, should tell us, to focus on our personal happiness, and well -...
-
"From where I sit, it is a mystery to me how so many can look back on their past with pride, yet frown with disappointment at their pre...
-
For those who do not prefer going for traditional choices for kitchen worktops or are looking for something new this time, neolith is a mate...
-
Findhorn is the end of the world. At low tide, a mixed colony of grey and common seals bask and sing on the sands of the north sho...
-
Elected Officials Should Prioritize The COMMON Good By Richard Brody Wouldn't a so - called, representative democracy, such as we supp...
-
It can be hard to develop a different mindset when living with a chronic illness. It is easier to simply go through the motions and live ha...
-
Pennant Race Monday, July 29, 2019 KINDNESS BRINGS OUT KINDNESS IN OTHERS. Bible Reading of the Day: Read 2 Samuel 10:1-2. Verse of t...
-
As time changes today, CCTV Camera is not only used to record footage but more than that. With new features of two-way audio communication, ...