November 19, 2006

Today’s Best
By Muffet Dolar Villegas
Compassion is Love in Action

For hours now, his old bent figure stooped down to pick up more starfish and threw them back to the sea. A young man passed by and said, “There are hundreds of them to be rescued from the heat of the sun out here. How can you make a difference?”

The old man lifted one starfish in his gnarled hand and said,” It makes a lot of difference to this one.”

Do we really make a lot of difference in the world today? Don’t we feel overwhelmed by people and circumstances?

Often, we hear people say, how can we eradicate crimes in this city? How can we spread peace and understanding since we are so few with a small voice? How can we contribute something good to our society? How can we start change in our government? How can we make a difference?

The questions are endless but the answers are like rain in the desert. But everything has to start with one single step. When we do something good, others call us “do-gooders” which has usually a negative meaning. Sometimes we also feel that doing good is something to be ashamed of.

But last week, I saw a lovely scene at Perdices street. A young man offered an older woman to assist her in crossing the street. I used to see a lot of these when I was growing up, but nowadays, it’s a rare thing. The young lad took that opportunity to allow us to see a diminishing Filipino culture which is a cherished value. I find it “cool.”

Yes, it is “cool” to be helpful, respectful, compassionate, considerate, hardworking…etc.
These values should not only belong to the past. This is the time when we needed it most.

A beautiful hand is not the hand that is smooth and unblemished but a rough, sun beaten hand. A handsome face is not what we see on television screen. But a face that shows compassion and sympathy.

Compassion is love in action