Quotes About Compassion

Winnicott, I think, would have enjoyed the observation made by novelist Fay Weldon: "The greatest advantage of not having children must be that you can go on believing you are a nice person. Once you have children, you understand how wars start." All relationships

the observation made by novelist Fay Weldon: "The greatest advantage of not having children must be that you can go on believing you are a nice person. Once you have children, you understand how wars start.

Forgive yourself for being an imperfect human being. The goddess doesn't expect perfection, although she does expect you to try and do better. Allow yourself to be happy. Live the life you want, and follow the path of your heart.

A bedraggled woman stood on his doorstep in the pouring rain, and his first impulse was to slam the door in her face. But she had clearly come as far as she could; her pale face was twisted in pain, and she shivered convulsively beneath a denim jacket that was as soaking wet as the rest of her. Long black strands of hair hung down in twisted ribbons like seaweed in the vanishing daylight, reminding him of a sea creature he'd once dated briefly in his more adventurous youth.

Chudo-Yudo chuckled and moved over to lay his huge head on Jenna's foot, generously allowing her to scratch his favorite spot under his chin in case it made her feel better. Barbara

shared pain is central to what it means to be a human being," but we are a society that values the anesthetic over pain. We hide our prisons, our sick, our mad, and our poor; we expend colossal resources to live in padded, temperature-controlled environments that make few demands on our bodies or our minds. We come up with elaborate means of not knowing about the suffering of others and of blaming them when we do.

We think of kindness as an emotional quality, but it's also an act of imagination, of extending yourself beyond yourself, of feeling what you do not feel innately by invoking it.

support," he added, gesturing at his ankle

Even more important, I needed to follow the advice of the emperor Hadrian, as imagined by Marguerite Yourcenar: "Our great mistake is to try to exact from each person virtues which he does not possess, and to neglect the cultivation of those he has." I needed to learn how to see that though the cashier is sullen, she makes perfect change and that is enough

was for a people who had been oppressed not to allow themselves to be beset with hatred for their oppressors. I would have to work to keep my anger toward Irving from evolving into hate. David Irving was not worth it. This was not the

And as she talks, I concentrate on spreading out my substance, making myself spongy to absorb the puffiness into myself, to absorb the pain radiating through her feet and legs and back.

The town stood witness to her fall As she crashed to the earth Exposed and utterly vulnerable Her secret lives, lies and truths Stained her skin and lay in mounds at her feet Her foes sat in judgment as a jury, But love came . . . with gentle hands Love dried her tears Love covered her shame Love sheltered her with compassion Love accepted her anyway Love embraced her Love welcomed her home.

My heart has often been too full to speak.' -Emma to husband Charles on her gratitude for 'the cheerful and affectionate looks you have given me when I know you have been miserably uncomfortable.

We must be more and more to each other, my dear wife.' -Charles Darwin to wife Emma upon loss of daughter Annie

Uncle Cor once had asked Vincent if he would feel anything for a woman or a girl who was beautiful, 'but I said I would have more feeling for and would prefer to be involved with one who was ugly or old or impoverished or in some way unhappy, who has acquired understanding and a soul through experience of life and trial and error, or sorrow.' -Vincent Van Gogh

More than any woman I ever knew, she comforted.' -Mrs. Huxley about Emma

Women help one another survive much in this world

I love Black Beauty, but it's just a story, of course. What matters is. . . I don't know. . . what you do once the story is inside you.

Empathy is more painful than medusa stings.

It is not enough to feel love. More important is how we express love.

She had no God to plead to for mercy or luck. It would be true to say she depended instead on human kindness and painkillers.

He doesn't care about his own life so he doesn't care about the lives of others.

I am upset today, Lapinski, because my friend is dying... I spread my loneliness out like a fan in front of you. He is my comrade, Lapinski. Holding on to the hands of the clock with his fingertips. For me. We hang on for each other.

Doctors and nurses are people who give you medicine until you die.