johnmdemarco posted on August 25, 2010 19:08
I wrote this in my journal last week: “All worthy institutions fade into irrelevancy in the absence of compassion.”
The statement could have been referring to any number of “worthy institutions.” The government. The church. Corporations. Schools or universities. Any endeavor that attempts to accomplish something worthwhile is at risk for putting its agenda before the real and felt needs of people, no matter how noble its intentions.
Perhaps the most significant entity that straddles the thin line between relevancy and irrelevancy each day is the human being.
Each day, dozens of choices thrust themselves before us, many requiring compassion to take a back seat—or so we’ve convinced ourselves. When we calibrate more of our choices around alternative, “win-win” solutions, compassion naturally begins to take a stronger foothold. People become not hurdles to overcome, but partners with whom everyone can realize greater possibilities.
It all begins with authentic conversation, I believe. Compassion can only grow full flower when listening is allowed to bloom. Being heard by another human being, truly heard, is a beautiful—and most relevant—thing indeed.