"The measure of a society is its compassion"Kristin Hannah
"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen."Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
"I would rather make mistakes in kindness and compassion than work miracles in unkindness and hardness."Mother Teresa
"The fundamental human experience is that of compassion"Joseph Campbell
"The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others."Albert Schweitzer
“We are all different. Don’t judge, understand instead.”Roy T. Bennett
“Compassion is not a relationship between the healer and the wounded. It’s a relationship between equals. Only when we know our own darkness well can we be present with the darkness of others. Compassion becomes real when we recognize our shared humanity.”Pema Chödrön
“Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others.”Pema Chödrön
“If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.”Jack Kornfield
“Love and compassion are the mother and father of a smile. We need to create more smiles in our world today. Smiles, after all, pave the way to a happy world.”Steve Maraboli
Compassion is understanding the challenging and difficult conditions of others with a desire to help. This important trait is needed throughout America and the entire world more than ever! This incredible quality offers the potential to transform each and every individual as well as society, the nation and planet Earth!
Compassion should be taught in every classroom as a guiding principle for the mental and spiritual growth of our youth! It promotes harmony, creates better relationships and is necessary in order to have social justice. Parents should set a good example reflecting compassion in their interactions with others, but especially with their children! Decent communication lies at the heart of compassion.
Understanding and empathy or compassion are prime essential human virtues. When one can truly say he has compassion for others, one is recognizing and respecting the inherent worth and dignity of others. One is dropping prejudice, hatred and one’s own reactivity toward others. Compassion includes actively contributing to the health and well being of others, performing random or intentional acts of kindness and displaying an ability to forgive.
“Our fingerprints don’t fade from the lives we touch.”Judy Blume
Serenity is calmness of mind. It is a peaceful mind or a still quiet undisturbed state of mind. The definition of serene is: “to make clear and calm.”
One is able to create a serene mind by focusing on the concept of tranquility and peacefulness. One can find serenity by looking for it in art and in nature. A gorgeous sunrise, a clear blue sky, a magnificent sunset, a field of flowers, a canopy of sparkling stars on a black velvet sky reflect serenity all around us. Serenity can also be found in a peaceful painting, a masterful sculpture or a serene photograph. Viewing minimalist compositions or the empty spaces of a piece of art in the Imagine Museum is a grand way to feel the power of serenity. The silence or absence of noise found in a museum is an excellent way to create a deep sense of serenity that transcends the noise of life!
One can pause for a brief moment and take a deep breath in the midst of a busy, productive day. One can go on a journey of inward exploration where all else fades away and one is left with profound peacefulness and serenity. When I produced my first piece of glass art—the goddess of compassion—the man who owned the studio said, "You open a portal to serenity that I have never seen before." Art has the power to go far beyond a serene state of mind and open this exquisite portal to this peaceful space of sheer tranquility.