Love...or Compassion?

[ZenitYerkes]

Looked up compassion in the Royal Spanish Academy dictionary for its etymology, but the word soul popped out instead. Coincidence?

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Compassion, from the Latin compati, "to suffer together with".

Giving ourselves to the rest hurts our ego and our selfish animal instincts, but the power of compassion makes it easier. Passing through a difficult emotional phase is specially sorrowful; but as long as there are people who are ready to take care of your pain, it goes away with ease.

What makes this community so strong is that the matter of someone is someone else's concern too.

And that everybody is willing to help each other.

To suffer together and ease the pain.

[rapunzel77]

Originally Posted by ZenitYerkes

Looked up compassion in the Royal Spanish Academy dictionary for its etymology, but the word soul popped out instead. Coincidence?

---

Compassion, from the Latin compati, "to suffer together with".

Giving ourselves to the rest hurts our ego and our selfish animal instincts, but the power of compassion makes it easier. Passing through a difficult emotional phase is specially sorrowful; but as long as there are people who are ready to take care of your pain, it goes away with ease.

What makes this community so strong is that the matter of someone is someone else's concern too.

And that everybody is willing to help each other.

To suffer together and ease the pain.

Zenit, that is a very good definition . It is the essence of love as well. This is what we do here on TOS.

[Wanderling]

Well said, Zenit.

In my mind, love and compassion are inseparable. If I love someone, I have compassion for them and do indeed suffer their wounds with them. And of course in the reverse, when I feel compassion for someone, I love them as well, really and truly. It isn't always safe or comfortable, but that's how love and compassion go, sometimes. The distinction between the two is something very subtle, I think, but I do believe they go hand in hand.

[CyanRachel]

Originally Posted by Wanderling

Well said, Zenit.

In my mind, love and compassion are inseparable. If I love someone, I have compassion for them and do indeed suffer their wounds with them. And of course in the reverse, when I feel compassion for someone, I love them as well, really and truly. It isn't always safe or comfortable, but that's how love and compassion go, sometimes. The distinction between the two is something very subtle, I think, but I do believe they go hand in hand.

Yes, all my sentiments exactly!