7.1.6 Foundation Series: Essay 6
Related: Introduction to the Foundation Series · Essay 1 · Essay 2 · Essay 3 · Essay 4 · Essay 5
Welcome
Compassion, to me, begins with empathy: recognizing the struggles of others. It moves into mercy: resisting the urge to judge or punish those who falter. And it ends in action: stepping forward to make things better, whether for one person, one creature, or many.
This value has been part of me for as long as I can remember. Many of my earliest experiences with compassion involved caring for animals and people in need: nursing a woodpecker that had flown into our family room window, tending to an injured bullfrog, and pausing to comfort someone who was homeless.
My mom, who had been a Sister of Charity of Saint Augustine for 13 years before marrying my dad, instilled in me the biblical principle from Luke 12:48: “To whom much is given, much will be required.” That belief has been a foundation for how I view compassion even now.
Growing up, I often saw that those most in need of compassion were not always seen as “worthy” of it, by others or even by themselves. People would say, or tell themselves, “They made their bed; let them lie in it.” I felt compelled to respond differently.
I also think of my dad, who cared for my mom with patience, tenderness, and security as she battled Alzheimer’s. Watching him embody love in action taught me the deepest meaning of compassion.
Encounters with Mother Teresa’s Mission
One of the most humbling professional experiences of my life was visiting Nirmal Hriday (“Pure Heart”), Mother Teresa’s Home for the Dying Destitute in Kolkata. I went there three times during separate business trips to India, each visit tied to team-building work where we served those spending their final days in that sacred home.
Though I had never made a “bucket list,” visiting this mission had been on my mom’s list. She passed before she could go. Years later, when the opportunity arose, I felt called to honor her by stepping inside.
Before my first visit, a business partner and trusted friend traveling with me asked, “What are these people dying from?” My answer was simple: neglect and conditions such as leprosy, tuberculosis, AIDS, or Alzheimer’s. He admitted he might just wait in the car. But when we arrived, he joined me inside. Together we fed, massaged, and comforted those who had little time left. We returned on two future visits to Kolkata.
For me, offering compassion in that place was more than service. It was an encounter with the living Christ.
A Family Practice of Care
This essay was not part of my original Foundation Series plan. It became a late addition because of one powerful reminder: compassion is not optional, or at least is should not be.
In our family, we often take the back roads together and, during the warmer months, keep on the lookout for turtles, snakes, and other animals crossing the pavement. One fall afternoon this year, we found a hatchling snapping turtle, which my daughters named Snappy. We agreed to keep him for 48 hours before releasing him.
When it was time, we returned to the spot where we had found him, only to see dozens of other hatchlings crushed on the road. My oldest daughter, Maryam, began to sob as she looked out the window. Her grief echoed a childhood memory of mine: losing my footing in Florida and accidentally crushing a lizard with my hand.
We released Snappy safely into the lake and soon found another painted turtle starting to cross the same busy road. We carried it across, certain that without our help it might have been killed by traffic.
Maryam’s sorrow, combined with her conviction to save another life, reminded me why compassion belongs among my foundation. Compassion comes alive in small acts like saving a turtle, lifting someone’s burden, or sitting beside the suffering.
Reflection Point
Compassion is not earned by others; it is awakened within us when we choose to see their humanity.
The Lesson: Compassion Is Love in Action
- Compassion begins with empathy, grows through mercy, and becomes movement.
- Care is not about who deserves it. It is about choosing to help.
- Love in action heals, humbles, and humanizes everyone involved.
Practical Takeaways
- Notice suffering in people, animals, and creation, then name one way to respond.
- Choose mercy over judgment. Remember that compassion is not earned.
- Act in small ways you can sustain. Offer a kind word, a helping hand, or a steady presence.
- Teach compassion by example. Let the next generation see you move toward need.
Two Questions to Explore
- Who in your life today needs compassion, even if others would call them undeserving?
- What small action could you take this week to lighten someone else’s burden?
Further Resources
- The Book of Joy by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. A conversation on suffering, compassion, and joy.
- Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom. Timeless lessons on love and human connection.
- TED Talk: The Power of Vulnerability by Brené Brown. How empathy and openness create deeper relationships.
- Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life by Karen Armstrong. Practical guidance for cultivating compassion in daily life.
Thank you for being part of my journey. May compassion move you to notice, show mercy, and take one small action this week.
Live. Lead. Love.
Billy
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Explore the Foundation Series · Essay 1 · Essay 2 · Essay 3 · Essay 4 · Essay 5
Wonderful messages, Billy. I recently re-read a doctoral thesis on Mercy. So many of the elements you listed were also included in that dissertation. But how you elevated “Compassion” to its highest state by your examples, was a thesis in itself. Very well done.
Dad
Thank you, Dad. Mercy and compassion have always felt like two sides of the same light. Your words remind me how deeply those lessons started at home.
Billy you always touched people with your genuine interest in them, with your empathy and your walking the talk attitude. I remember your visits to Nirmal hridaya. I love you philosophy Compassion is love in action. That’s why whoever came in contact with you always loved you.
Thank you for such kind and generous words, Alka. Nirmal Hridaya will always hold a special place in my heart, and so will the people who shared that journey. You and Vinit are very important to me!
Dear Billy – Compassion and empathy are, unfortunately, not valued enough in today’s society. Kudos to you for writing about them. How wonderful that you are role-modeling these behaviors for your daughters. I look to reading more!.
Thank you so much for this kind review, Kaye. Your encouragement means a lot. Hanna and I are raising our girls to notice, care, and act. I appreciate you taking the time to share this.
Your words Billy ring so true. Seeing Christ not just in others but also in the beauty of nature. If you remember, our trip together to the missions in West Papua was a retreat for me. I needed that time away from our modern world that often refuses dignity not just to others but also the dignity of our common home. It was a blessing having you along with me. Dormom
Thank you, Dennis. I remember that journey as a sacred pause; one that invited us to see God in every breath of creation. The people, the land, and the silence all carried by grace. Life is so bountiful in West Papua. I’m grateful we shared that experience together.
Billy, this is a gift to all of us. Loved every word and learned. What more can one ask.
Thank you so much for this kind review, Kaye. Your encouragement means a lot. Hanna and I are raising our girls to notice, care, and act. I appreciate you taking the time to share this.