Aging: Compassion for Ourselves and Others

Rant:

 

Aging: Compassion for ourselves and others…

There comes a time in all of our lives that one begins to realize sh– is going to happen!  If not to you, to those you love or to your friends and those they love. When something happens, and it will, if you can’t do a thing about it, it hurts.  It’s frustrating.  It stinks!

So, as we age, why is it so hard sometimes to have compassion for ourselves or for others? Truth be told, we are all going through this together.

Even if you did not learn compassion in your home or from a role model but have experienced loss or illness seems like it would be easy to understand the plight of others who need understanding, empathy, and compassion just as you did.  Am I wrong?

Compassion for ourselves:

Well, in the first place, maybe it’s because we have such a hard time finding compassion for ourselves.  I wonder where we lost it?  Or, did we ever have it?  I looked up, ‘Is compassion learned’ and in fact it is.  What a revelation!

As you know, I have a great Mom, but I don’t recall if she taught me self-love or compassion for myself.  If she did, I’m thinking my life got in the way and I forgot. I do have a lot of compassion and empathy for others. I KNOW for sure Mom taught me that.  Growing up in a house with 3 other girls (Mom included) raging hormones and one bathroom we learned understanding, boundaries and how to make-up after a knockdown drag-out! HA!!  Whatever the reason, that part is easy.

It’s the compassion for me that’s harder.  Going down that path feels like a guilty pleasure.  How strange is that?  As I get older and little things are happening to Mom and people I love, I’m beginning to realize how much I need that compassion.  A loving friend turned me on to http://wildmind.org. It helps.  So does exercise, meditation and the fabulous women in my life!

Compassion for others:

If you had no role model to show you what compassion looks like and you’re interested, there are plenty of places to find information.  I found a compelling site: https://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-23406/10-easy-ways-to-cultivate-compassion.html

 

Attitude:

Compassion for ourselves is reaching out to others and telling them what you need.  It is not a weakness.  It’s a strength. Being there for others, a phone call, a note, a cup of coffee, is a gift.

If you’re not interested in learning about having compassion for yourself or others, please don’t expect it in return.

It’s the mood I’m in today!!

Originally posted 2018-09-17 12:50:17.