Compassion is connected to the heart

This is how I define compassion and how I see it:

Compassion to me is how it is connected to the heart. Susan mentioned on one of my forums that I was noticing how I see compassion as "heart work." When I am connected to someone, I can care about that person deeply. Since I do wear my heart on my sleeve and my other interpersonal strengths, I use them to help others. I enjoy helping someone when s/he accomplish something with my encouragement (sometimes people do need encouragement to get them to achieve something) or comfort them if they are sad or in pain or if they need a good friend by their side for the moment.

These last several years, I think I have developed an attitude of "How can I help you?" When I see someone in need, I feel like how can I help that person. Sometimes I am also a conduit to connect this person to someone else who can help better. Each one of us have our own gifts and talents to assist others. I learned that I can't help everyone in my path since that's impossible.

Since I have my faith, I pray to God and I do believe he would send the right person to help that person in need. Sometimes I am someone else's prayer request. For example, once I felt this urging to assist a Napoli family as they were getting ready to move to Kentucky to be closer to relatives. I join the team at my church who was helping them. I even spent my Thanksgiving Day, about a few hours, to spend time with the mother and daughter. (The sons/brothers was out with friends. By the way, their father/husband past away almost a year before they moved away. The team I mentioned was with this family that whole year with free babysitting and other assistance.) I use my strengths to help in any way possible. Since I didn't share the same language of the mother, I have observed her responses. She was grateful that I was there for emotional support as well as spiritual support. She gave me lots of smiles. The daughter who was six years old was hanging onto me. I didn't feel anything right away. During the time I was there, I was so focus on the family's needs. Later when I was able to process the exchanges, I did feel good that I could help others. From this experience, I like to help others. In this class, I learned that I'm a "heart work" type of person.

Sometimes I do get down. When I receive compassionate acts from people around me who noticed that I need encouragement, I feel good that someone did listen and show me that they care about me. I think the other person feels good that s/he can help me out too. I'm just thankful to my inner circle of friends. I have received hugs from other females that really cheered me up that they can empathize with me when I'm stressed or upset or frustrated.

It's funny, sometimes I just do kind acts without even thinking. One day last month, a co-worker thanked me for being so nice. I just responded to one of her complaints to make something easier for her. In my mind, what's the fuss, I'm happy to help you. To tell you the truth, I don't dwell about compassionate acts or even think about them. I just respond after I figure out what the other person's needs. If we are all about to do this constantly, our world would be a bit easier and kinder place to live in.