Is compassion a natural trait of humans?

Increasingly I have been wondering whether compassion comes naturally to humans. I say this because I observe in myself and many others that compassion does not come quite easily. But we are led to believe that one ought to be a fountain of love and compassion. Though it is ideal that one should feel compassionate, most of the times it has to be coaxed. Taking an instance from my own life: If I have some free time, I would like to use it to do what I want rather than helping out someone with their studies or babysit. I would like to spend the time without doing anything but since being compassionate is the most ideal thing to do, I would force a smile and accept the given task. Notice how I say "task" and not 'favour.' I am aware that since I am free, I have time on my hands BUT I am unwilling to give up that time. Isn't that being selfish?

When I do see some people always ready to do something for others, I wonder whether it comes naturally to them or are they feigning compassion and forcing themselves to behave in a certain way because it raises their self-esteem. When I see an avalanche of quotes, sayings and messages on giving, caring and losing oneself for the cause of others, it is affirmed that these sayings are reiterating something that is becoming sparse.

Compassion, I reckon, has to be cultivated over time until finally it ceases to become forced and comes naturally. Aristotle rightly commends, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit." Perhaps Aristotle's wisdom holds good for any trait be it excellence or compassion. Now I guess what I should be doing -- Cultivate compassion which is not a natural trait in me.

Well, readers, what do you think of this topic.

Image: Internet

P. S: Since I don't have internet at home, I am forced to forgo the pleasure of reading and commenting on your blogs. I hope this condition alters and I can resume joyfully commenting on your delightful posts. Hope you don't much mind my absence and continue to think of me when you write posts you know that I would have loved to read. You are always on my mind.

Forgiving and forgetting . . . I could add a clause there

Waxing eloquence on forgiving and forgetting is all over the place. For some the combination is lethal. For some forgiving is easier but not forgetting. For some nothing matters. After a woman-to-woman discussion with my sister on this subject, we unanimously agreed that while forgiving and forgetting is easy with some individuals, it can be completely impossible with some.

No matter what the issue is, with some individuals, we find it quite hard to practice forgiveness. Perhaps, it is their disposition which is quite sardonic. While some others we can easily forgive even though their act is quite unpardonable. Why?

I agree that the human being is quite a complex creature with a bundle of contradictions. Sometimes living itself is filled with paradoxes and ironies. Such is life. But forgiving and forgetting is something which is quite an everyday process for most of us.

While it takes the utmost courage and strength to forgive as well as forget, it depends on the person who has committed the wrong. I can easily forgive and forget some individuals while I cannot do so with certain others. This kind of partiality is not quite becoming of me but I still DO it.

Well, I wonder what is your attitude in forgiving and forgetting. Can you be uniform across the board or are you like me?

Image: Internet

Everyone is a weather god at some point in their life

I can bet on the title for everyone becomes or rather is forced to become one at some point in their life. Now don't assume that becoming a weather god is some great and profound task. No. Its just a simple process. It goes like this: You have a date with someone special and you are wearing something beautiful but then the sky is overcast and it threatens to pour anytime. What do you do? Become a weather god. You utter a command: "Let it not rain today." At this precise moment, one becomes a weather god. Following the rage of Paulo Coelho's book "The Alchemist," everyone has a rather tinted way of looking at the universe. One presumes that if something good has to happen then the universe will help you and so you stand in a very dignified way and assume that you are a weather god. You want the rain to stop for your selfish reasons. Well, I am one of those too. Sheepish to admit but nevertheless true.

Humans are so very whimsical: On one hand, we know that it has to rain or shine as its the cycle of nature. Blame it on global warming, the cycle is distorted. But then there are droughts everywhere and the farmer needs the rain but then . . . There are clothes to be washed and dried and chores to be completed which needs the sun. Traveling in public transport becomes a pain in the rain and so one wants the sun but then one sweats and is fatigued, and so rains seem a nice escape. What do we want? That is the question.

Coincidentally it does stop raining when one wants the rain to stop but then its just a simple coincidence. We are not weather gods neither are we gods. We are after all homo sapiens that have caused the greater damage to the planet than any other being found here.