Compassion

The Holocaust was 100% legal. So was the Trail of Tears. So was Segregation. So many of history's worst atrocities were 100% legal. Morality and legality do not always go hand in hand. I'm not sure when the idea of having compassion for other human beings who come from different backgrounds became taboo, but I think that the world would be way better if, as a whole, humans had more compassion for each other. This year, I've been working and worshipping in a church that has a lot of cultural diversity, and it has been one of the best experiences of my life. Despite the different backgrounds that we come from, we all have core things in common. We all have hopes, dreams, fears. I've been working a bit with some men this year who are learning English as a second language, and it is really hard to learn English. It's even been a bit of a challenge learning the differences between American English and British English.  Too much is currently happening in the world that breaks my heart, but I suppose the fact that it breaks my heart is better than allowing myself to become numb to it, because complacency is not an option. Dig deeper. Don't believe everything you're told. Do research, and form your own opinions. Trust your gut feeling, trust what you feel in your heart. If your heart feels like it's being crushed, don't ignore it. If something feels wrong to you, don't ignore that. This applies in many different situations. If someone has an opinion or a view on a thing that is different than yours, listen to it. Don't immediately get defensive. Don't automatically assume that the other person is wrong. Have compassion.