matthew fox names the eighth aspect of being human ‘compassion’. this quality figures greatly in all spiritual traditions. it is not passive or sentimental. compassion is about an inner response to suffering and then acting on that response.
at its core, compassion teaches us that we are all interdependent. the buddha repeatedly taught this principle, which has been supported by contemporary science.
meister elkhart said, “whatever happens to another, be it a joy or sorrow, happens to me.” the word itself means to suffer together.
elders have lived long enough to have witnessed and experienced many joys and sorrows. we have become what elisabeth kulber-ross called “beautiful people”.
“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.”
it is the long life that we have lived that has gently or harshly filed away the rough edges of the ego so that we can respond to the suffering of others with compassion. this response may find us involved in actions for social justice or adding prayer to our daily spiritual practice. it may find us writing a spiritual legacy to those younger than we, expressing our concern for others. we might respond to our inner call by reaching out a friend who is feeling isolated and lonely.
these actions, small and large, are our basic, human nature. elders have the opportunity not only to act, but to model compassion for others.
in fact, we might think of compassionate action as a hallmark of elderhood.
