Chapter 47

DEMONSTRATE COMPASSION

Dictionary.com defines compassion as: a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.

                I’ve always been a compassionate guy. One of my ex-girlfriends picked up on this. She told somebody, “He’s always searching for lost souls.” I thought it was pretty profound insight, coming from a Hooters’ girl. No disrespect ladies—I love Hooters’ girls. I keep that place in business.

My compassionate “fight for the little guy” nature was cultivated through my experience growing up with my autistic little brother. Being around someone who has a disability can be an eye-opening experience in two ways: You get to see the challenges humans with disabilities face—and you get to observe the reactions they receive from “normal” humans.

                When humans are ignorant of a disability, they tend to act in very judgmental ways. They make assumptions about their behavior. They stare. They whisper. Some people are downright mean; they might crack jokes. Seeing this type of behavior projected towards my little brother made me sensitive to the issue. It always caused me to see the disabled in a loving light. I tried to help my friends understand the same thing. My friends were always very cool and compassionate around my little brother.

                That’s the other side of the coin—disabilities also bring out the best in human nature. People are often inspired to act in incredibly compassionate ways. They’re moved with empathy, in regards to the suffering of another, because they too, have suffered. This inspires them to respond in very loving ways, in an attempt to alleviate the suffering.