In this age of shrinking economy, hunger, loss of jobs, competition and many more such ills, has compassion really disappeared?
2020 has taught us to stick to the basics, eat just enough to fill your stomach, stay at home and do not pollute the environment and work towards a healthier life. This encompasses compassion towards self and others. There are many ways to be kind and compassionate.
- Compassion Towards Self can be incorporated by eating a balanced diet, exercise and engaging in stimulating activities for the mind and mental health.
- Compassion Towards Family is in being kind and cooperative, saying encouraging words, allocating time for family members and for children to be listening to their parents.
- Compassion Towards Society is in being kind and respectful towards others, not littering, waiting for your turn in the queue, opening the door for another and so on.
- Compassion Towards Animals & Environment
While the above three are easy to comprehend, the question arises about why and how do we incorporate compassion towards animals and the environment? The other questions that follow are, why is a kinder & gentler world synonymous with good karma? Why being compassionate builds kinder societies, inclusive schools, more parks and greenery, thriving wildlife for generations of children to see and hopefully less cases of more deadly viruses?
If you are forced to think about these questions, then read on to see how to build a compassionate society.
- Let go of the I, me, myself and my family mindset and open your eyes to see the other creatures the world and.
- Remember that nature is all connected. When one tugs at a simple thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.
- Feed strays; out a bowl of water for them; adopt them; don’t shop for them; never throw stones or abuse them
- Don’t squish a spider or carelessly stamp an ant. They are beautiful and amazing creatures and have an important role in our ecosystem as every other creepy crawler do in this world. Just drive them away outdoors so that they can find their own paths and get away.
- Take children on nature walks, bug hunts and spotting wildlife.
- Drive with care.
- Stop littering to keep your surroundings clean.
- Your houseplants and gardens need to be sufficiently hydrated. If they are drying, don’t put it away for the next day. Give them a drink.
COVID has taught that earth belongs to all animals and not just humans. A kinder, gentler world is the need of the hour. Let's realise this sooner rather than later.
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Natasha Sharan is a volunteer with STRAW India for many years now. She blogs for us often. She can be contacted at: [email protected]