Compassion: Making Good Happen

By Vaughn Brown

Do you want to change the world, better yourself, and become a positive force? Learn how compassion can encourage, inspire, and create a world full of empathy and love.

Not enough is spoken or taught of the precious gift of compassion. I believe that compassion's very essence has a potent force that can move all humanity and transform the darkest of circumstances.

 

This book makes use of an acronym to define compassion as a Caring Objective Mission Providing Assistance Serving Someone Insufficient Of Need. It calls both the materially and mentally affluent members of society to lighten humanity's needs with kindness.

 

I welcome you into the world of love and compassion. These two words, which we hear often, are of great importance. However, I believe only a few people know that they are more of action words contrary to dormant feelings and emotions. They are a call to action.

 

When you hear the expression, "compassion is a virtue that can change our world," what comes to mind? What does compassion entail? How does it work, and why is it needed in our world today more than ever? You will get answers to these questions in this novel. And you would begin to see the need for this aspect of love that can rapidly transform our world and reality into a healthy place. Fasten your seat belt, and get ready for a great tour into the world of compassion.

 

The basic principles and guidelines in this novel are:

• To give hope to the helpless
• To initiate new ways of thinking
• To inspire individuals to become better version of themselves
• To encourage change and goodwill in the world
• To offer personal, moral guidance and direction
• To enlighten encourage and inspire a compassionate movement that will create a better world of empathy and love

My global vocation is fueled by compassion and I believe we only come to the knowledge of a particular need because we have an intrinsic capacity to become the loving answer to that need.

 

Therefore, as a servant of humble beginnings it is an honor to be chosen with a compassionate heart not only for the hurting, helpless and hopeless but for all humanity.

 

Order your copy now and let's change our world for the betterment of humanity.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vaughn Brown
• Release date: Sep 22, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201853938

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Copyright © 2021 by Vaughn Brown - All rights reserved.

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Compassion

Making Good Happen

by Vaughn Brown

DEDICATION

Every challenging work requires a lot of self-motivation as well as the encouragement and counsel of others, especially those who hold a special place in our hearts.

This book is dedicated to my dear wife, Grace Brown, whose affection and prayers have enabled me to complete this laudable feat.

The book is also dedicated to all the people out there making the world a better place every day.

FOREWORD

You may be aware of men like John Maxwell, who is highly regarded as the number one leadership coach. Or men like Zig Ziglar, who has displayed a high mastery of the art of motivation before his passing. You might be even familiar with a master storyteller like Victor Hansen (author of Chicken Soup For the Soul). But allow me to introduce to you the living impetus of Compassion, Vaughn Brown.

I know you may already be wondering what more is left to be said about the subject of love generally, especially when it is streamlined to just compassion. I was in the same place you are right now when Vaughn first told me he would be writing on this topic. However, my misgivings disappeared when I realized who was talking to me. In our 20 years of being in a relationship, Vaughn has exemplified this topic in his daily interaction with me and the multitude of others he has impacted around the globe. I could not be told otherwise than the truth that God has asked him to theorize his daily living for everyone to learn.

In his work, ‘COMPASSION: Making Good Happen,' Vaughn Brown has explicitly explained the virtue of being compassionate. He has taken us beyond the widespread tangential discussion of compassion being just an empathic verb – that requires an action to the inanimate virtue that it really materializes. When Vaughn finished an early compilation of this volume, I had a chance to read it. What I came across can only be understated as the fascination of human's innate character of mercy. As Abraham Lincoln rightly taught, this mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.

Many people, even members of the top 10% in America, do say love has no intention. They infer from this statement that all love does is exude care in both its personified and animated form without restraint or direction. But truthfully, people do not show compassion by just caring without a purpose or plan. Vaughn has identified this hypocritical belief common to men's daily living. In this compendium of knowledge about compassion, he has opened my eyes to a new perspective where love intends to guide and motivate you to care rightly. Vaughn shows that there are many other hypocritical sayings about compassion that contradict the daily success of high-class members of society. Now, I know the need for me to be ethically invested in compassion, especially by giving.

COMPASSION: Making Good Happen is one of the latest resources produced by the Compassionate Exchange™ initiative. As the leader of the initiative, Vaughn has personally reached out to innumerable thousands of people (with a constant weekly rise.) To bolster the justifiable role of compassion for a successful individual and community, Vaughn has tailored this literature to impact the lives of others. While emphasizing the shrouded right-side of the two-faced facts about compassion and its propagation of success among the upper-class members of society, Vaughn shed more light on weaponizing the proper understanding of compassion.

This is finally an opportunity for you to be inspired into greatness proffered by compassion! Every society that is not rich in compassion covets compassionateness to be enriched. Vaughn has thoroughly searched through the highs and lows of the community to identify the timeless principles of compassion. So you can be sure this is not just some compendium of opinions that are not rooted in the practicality of life and death, sowing and reaping. Instead, you are about to enjoy a heritage traceable in history, science, family, and the executive world.

James Parker,

CEO of Parker Mother and Child Foundation

INTRODUCTION

In the exact words of Martin Luther King Jr, a great nation is a compassionate nation. This submission is true. A people’s greatness is determined by the magnitude of their compassion for others. This book attempts to unravel the concept of compassion and how the world demands men to rise to the occasion. Life is in stages; people are in phases. Every nation is on a different pedestal. Some are at the lowest ebb, some zenith. Therefore, there is a great demand for people and nations at the top to help others. 

The world was bedeviled by harsh realities, such as destruction of countries’ economic threshold, wrecked lifestyles, loss of lives and properties. These realities can be checked if the affluent and powerful show empathy and take responsibility. The true test of greatness, according to Churchill, is responsibility. The rich, powerful, affluent must begin to take responsibility for the underprivileged. This is essentially what greatness is all about. We must stand for one another and win together if we will survive the trying times with dignity.

The book is a clarion call to everyone, especially the leaders: political, religious, administrative, etc., to begin to take responsibility. Negligence has only brought the world to a state of disarray, starvation, increase in out-of-school children, untimely deaths, etc. We all must show compassion.

This book is eye-opening. Truthfully, the increasing poverty rate in many nations will reduce drastically if we all take responsibility to be compassionate. The wanton killings, racism, nepotism, etc., will wane. The duty to be compassionate is up to us all in different strata of life.

Everyone who desires to be great must be adequately taught in the school of compassion.

COMPASSION: THE VIRTUE THAT MAKES GOOD HAPPEN

"Do more than belong: participate. 

Do more than care: help.

Do more than believe: practice.

Do more than be fair: be kind.

Do more than forgive: forget.

Do more than dream: work." — William Arthur Ward

Do your little bit of good where you are; it is those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.  — Desmond Tutu.

COMPASSION IN ITS ESSENCE

I welcome you into the world of love and compassion. These two words, which we hear often, are of great importance. However, I believe only a few people know that they are more of action words contrary to dormant feelings and emotions. They are a call to action. When you hear the expression: "compassion is a virtue that can change our world," what comes to mind? What does compassion entail? How does it work, and why is it needed in our world today more than ever? You will get answers to these questions in this chapter. And you would begin to see the need for this aspect of love that can rapidly transform our world and reality into a healthy place. Fasten your seat belt, and get ready for a great tour into the world of compassion.  

CHAPTER 01

COMPASSION AS THE GOLDEN VIRTUE OF LOVE

What is compassion?

Encyclopedia’s definition of compassion states that it is the norm governing the relationship between human beings. A well-known American speaker once said, If the purpose of a thing is unknown, its abuse is inevitable.[1]In the quest to learn about compassion, its meaning will serve as the perfect tour guide, holding our hands to understand everything we meet along the way.   

According to the Mariam Webster dictionary, compassion is feeling sympathetic consciousness of others' distress alongside with a desire to alleviate it. It also means the act or capacity for sharing the painful feeling of another. For Yasmin Mogahed, compassion is the innate ability to look beyond your pain, to see the pain of others. These definitions serve as an acceptable window, helping us to understand compassion.

Historically, several symbols and emblems stand out as representing compassion, love, and mercy. These are mostly replete in the Asian traditions of China, India, Korea, and Japan. The name Guan Yin, with its variations, is one that comes to the fore when it comes to compassion. In the Chinese tradition, Guan Yin is retained and made popular. However, in other countries, such as Korea and Japan, the goddess is known by other names, such as Kwannon and Gwan-eum, respectively. Who is this goddess? What does she stand for, and how did she come to be? Guan Yin is simply the goddess of compassion. The name Guan Yin is a short form for Kuan-shi Yin, meaning Observing the Sounds (or Cries) of the (human) World. This name gives an insight into the ancient perspective of people in this region of the world on compassion. From the name, one can easily deduce that there is an observation of the cries of another. Divinity is attentive to the cries of the mortal or humanity, as it were. In other words, the one with supernatural resources at her disposal considers it necessary to apprehend the cries of humans. It is believed her intention exceeds listening. It is to the end that her resources would be channeled to change the hurting realities for such humans. This is what compassion is all about. It is attentiveness to the pain of others and finding a solution to it. Later in this book, this concept would be further described and explained in great detail as an empathetic and compassionate act.

Furthermore, in Chinese Buddhism, the extended meaning of Guan Yin revolves around the expression, Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. Bodhisattva means one who qualifies to leave the world of suffering and is destined to enjoy nirvana. However, he defers and forgoes the bliss of nirvana with a vow to save all the suffering children of god. On another note, Avalokitesvara means a lord "seeing or gazing down with infinite compassion." Now, placing these two words together, one can comprehend the idea of the zenith representation of compassion, empathy, mercy, and love towards humanity. In this book, you will find out how these religious ideas and understandings reflect human nature. Furthermore, I believe you will also discover that, beyond waiting for something magical, supernatural or mystical to happen, we as humans are inclined to show love and compassion to one another. . .  than any divine entity is obliged to.

For a deeper understanding of this virtue in our world, let us take a cue from this insightful acronym: C-Caring, O-Objective, M-Mission, P-Providing, A-Assistance, S-Serving, S-Someone, I-Insufficient, O-Of, N-Need. The fact remains that compassion rests on the fulcrum of how much you are willing to help those in need. It would help if you began to consider that compassion is more of giving to others than it is doing anything for your primary benefit. Have you ever heard of the power of altruism? The term implies unselfishness, and it is one of the great forces that rule our world. Compassion is a high expression of selflessness because it is the wheels on which true life moves. It is a part of love that pushes you to do a lot for others despite your own necessity for the same resources at times. I believe that, with compassion, the mind of a man becomes subject to a truth that is higher than he would ordinarily want to acknowledge, which is that he loves. Man loves; he genuinely does. And this is revealed in our everyday life. We relate with one another socially because we can only live that way. It is a simple fact that you need people just as much as I do. It is on this fact that compassion stands — the need to be in a relationship with another human.

Social interaction is the means through which we influence one another. Suppose I go to the store to get groceries. You go up there as well. We meet up, we both relate to the cashier and doorman. Everything you do in our little time of interaction, either by direct or indirect conversation and contact eventually informs my perception of you.

Let us now give appropriate descriptions to the COMPASSION acronym mentioned earlier. These descriptions will help squeeze out the juice of compassion, providing a better understanding of this powerful force of love.

CARING

Caring is a very integral part of compassion. It portrays how potent compassion can be. Compassion is a virtue that thrives on our care for one another. I believe this assertion contains so much truth. The actual test of a person's compassion is revealed in the depth of concern such a person can show to others, especially strangers. Caring is not limited to your friends, family members, and relatives. Strangers and other persons who seem to hold no relation to you are equally deserving of care. The beautiful thing about this is that compassion is the power that moves our heart to reach out to others in need, to offer our support. One of the virtues in every human being rests on how much care we hold in our hearts and share with others.

Denis Waitley has observed that a smile is a light in your window that tells others that there is a caring, sharing person inside. Caring is the act of catering to those who are not able to take care of themselves. It is an act of kindness that involves looking after a fellow human. I believe that fundamental human care is the primary point on which compassion stands. As a person, I am not the object of my compassion — the people around me are. Most of the people around us may be strangers; however, they are not any less deserving of receiving our care. Now, let's take a cue from the nursing profession. It is clear that these medical personnel do not only care for their family members but also everyone coming to them seeking medical help. Even when fugitives and persons of interest approach them, seeking urgent medical help, they are inclined to stretch forth their professional hand to such a person.   

A compassionate heart is a caring heart. We have legends who have proven this fact. Examples of such icons are people who have lived their lives in humanitarian pursuits. They include Mahatma Gandhi of India, Mother Teresa, Bishop Desmond Tutu, and Nelson Mandela, to mention a few. These people gave their lives to the cause of alleviating pain, hunger, oppression, and other ills in their environment. Their actions have reached out and touched the hearts of millions of people around the world. And this book will be incomplete without a closer look into the life, experiences, and inspiration of these people. The world today has been positively affected because of their inputs. Through compassion, they changed their world for good.

I believe we can also learn more about compassion from the illustrations of the religious leader and icon, Jesus. A little example of this shows up in the story of feeding the five thousand of his followers with five loaves of bread and two fishes;[2]

34  And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.

Here, history accounts that the Christian icon performed this miracle for his followers and turned few loaves of bread and fishes to feed thousands of men, women, and children, a type of event that recurred in his earthly life. Why? Because he was moved with compassion for them. These disciples later left him after feeding on the miraculous food because they considered his teachings as too hard to understand, and they did not believe. We ought to be mindful that he had seen the possibility of this reaction and the reality of them leaving him. Still, he performed miracles for them.[3]This amplifies the point earlier mentioned that those who you do well to should not necessarily be only those who do well to you or are in your circle as the case may be. Another great perspective comes from a similar standpoint — a verse in one of Paul’s letters, which states that:

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.[4]

Later on in this book, we would learn more about the power of love as well as the forgiveness and mercy aspects of compassion. But this powerful display of care by Jesus to his followers — not just sending them away after being with him for so long —  is a remarkable show of compassion. The inseparability of compassion from care further explains why people go to great lengths to protect their loved ones. The reason is not difficult to see. It builds on the fact that they love such a person. And since compassion is a powerful aspect of love, it is only right that we go on to help as many as we could, irrespective of their race, age, religion, beliefs, and doctrines. This proves the love that exists in our hearts. We do not just leave strangers hanging when they request help from us. We go to extra lengths to help them as well, just as we would have when someone we know and love requests such assistance from us. This is an act of caring, which is a great display of love.

Again, compassion, as caring, is a heightened state of human consciousness. It can be argued that many people have the understanding that they ought to help others but rarely do. They rarely show care and compassion to the people that are in need of it. However, compassion, being an innate emotion and drive in every human, is pushed forth by putting yourself in other people’s shoes. When we see people who need help, it is only right that we reach out to them to help them. However, if such a drive to help them is not there, putting yourself in their shoes, assuming the state of their pain, probably living with them for a while, and seeing firsthand what they have been going through, can be of great help. With a heightened state of emotion or consciousness as the case may be, the human person is enabled to do rather than to only think about things. When you see the pain first hand, it is more probable that you are willing to help. It is for this same reason we see several humanitarian foundations on the television showing videos of starved children in some parts of the world that need help. They reveal the dirty water, a narrative they intensely desire to change; they show the polio-stricken citizens of a country and the bare feet of the people in such regions. All these are in an attempt to evoke your emotions. This way, compassion is triggered. And this is why compassion, as caring, is a heightened state or perhaps, a fruit of a heightened state of consciousness.   

Hence, with the onus of loving and showing care to other people being on us, we should always remind ourselves of why we need to help others. We must endeavor to feel their pains intentionally. The point is not to willfully harm ourselves or starve ourselves to death. No, the point is to show support and succor to these people by visiting them, seeing what they see, and feel what they feel. Naturally, the pain is shared and transferred from them to us. We recognize, validate, and highlight their discomfort with a readiness for action to help. We see compassion in caring — this can never lose its truth. The golden words of Shannon L. Alder sum this all up: One of the most important things you can do on this earth is to let people know they are not alone. So, we share in what is a pain to others and show them they are not alone. That naturally propels us to help them. In simple words, when we subject ourselves to a heightened state of consciousness of what these people feel, we are more propelled to stretch out our hands to them.

O-OBJECTIVE, M-MISSION 

We have this as the second part of the acronym presented earlier for compassion, and it is quite a compelling and accurate statement. Compassion should be an objective mission. Simply, no strings attached, and no ulterior motive is intended. Remember how we pointed out that we owe one another the duty of compassion basically because we are humans. In the same vein, we should not anticipate any personal gratification from showing compassion, at least, in the long run. In the beautiful words of Matshona Dhliwayo, Help from a stranger is better than sympathy from a relative.  This quote is accurate in this respect because it highlights an action that showcases faith in humanity.  

John is an epileptic high school student. On his way to school on a particular day, neighboring banging noise from a loudspeaker triggered a seizure, and he fell on the walkway. What do you think should happen? Does the nearby person pick John's phone to call John's parents to come and cater to their son? Absolutely not! Calling 911 will be an excellent call right then.

Nevertheless, at the same time, a better call will be to get a medical practitioner in the vicinity if there is any. Such a person will provide the urgently needed medical attention. Now, such a medical practitioner may be a stranger. However, the truth remains that he has to help someone in need of his help and expertise. The Hippocratic Oath exists for this reason that such persons who need help should be given the much needed medical care by any medical practitioner (physician) at that time. It stands on the premise that every human life is sacred and important. And no one should lose this life unnecessarily. Hence, such social and professional nudges for a need to protect and care for human life, either it is that of a known person or not, is the fulcrum of compassion. It is much better if the person in need of our help is someone we have never taken a glance at before —  a stranger.   

The world is only better for it if every human on earth shows this unconditional reason for help and love for each other. There would be a substantial drop in vices in the society, and evil tolls such as death rates would begin to experience a downward curve. Hence, we see that compassion works irrespective of our differences. We help people not because they can help us back. It is not an investment per se, but rather an expression of your inner self as a person of love contributing his quota to making the world a much better place. You are to influence your world with your wealth, influence, and affluence if the universe smiles on you to make you possess these things. They matter in this case. And the most beautiful part of this is that you will be doing this with the full consciousness that the world is getting better because of you. The words of one of the richest men in the world, Warren Buffet, put this in a much better light:  

"If