One match=One Explosion

Compassion Card Checklist

Which one do you play?

The Religion Card.

The Spiritual Card.

The Racial Card.

The Do-Gooder Card.

The Do-Badder Card.

The Card Shark Card.

The Aces Card.

The Spades Card.

The Diamonds Card.

The Hearts Card.

The high IQ Card.

The “I’m with stupid” Card.

The Handsome Card.

The Beautiful Card.

The Shiny New Car Card.

The Old Clunker Card.

The Tall Card.

The short Card.

The Childish Card.

The Childlike Card.

The Immature Card.

The Mature Card.

The “I forgot” Card.

The “I quit” Card.

The “I don’t like my parents” Card.

The “I can’t do it” Card.

The “I don’t care” Card.

The “I care” Card.

”To feel another’s anguish—this is the essence of compassion” (wjb)

The Little Match Girl knew what needed to be done. She may not have completed the task at hand as expected and was paid for with her life founded of teachable and unbreakable love.

And she was unafraid.

”It was dreadfully cold; it was snowing fast, and was almost dark, as evening came on—the last evening of the year. In the cold and the darkness, there went along the street a poor little girl, bare-headed and with naked feet. When she left home she had slippers on, it is true; but they were much too large for her feet—slippers her mother had used until then, and the poor little girl lost them, in running across the street when two carriages were passing terribly fast. When she looked for them, one was not to be found, and a boy seized the other and ran away with it, saying he would use it for a cradle some day, when he had children of his own.

Children of his own.

Poor, poor little shivering and hungry and miserable girl.

The snowflakes fell on her long flaxen hair, which hung in pretty curls about her throat; but she though not of beauty nor of the cold. It was New Year’s Eve when the poor, poor little girl was shivering about. No one would buy her matches, to light a fire. So much beauty all around her and yet she would not, could not succumb to its temptations of inclusion.

She was cowering in a world of never ending hot. Never ending hot. She was beaten and battered, tempestuous and tattered. Her little hands so small and frozen would light a temporary fire in her hand that would only fizzle upon wind and dampness. Neglect and sadness. She would attempt to use yet another match to light a fire of connection only to have it fizzle under the weight of insidious inclusion.

A window to the world.

She would light yet another match and see into a window of a beautiful holiday festival of beautiful dishes and delicious feast. Still shivering and cold, she began to drift away. From all that she had known unaware of where to go next. She knew where she felt comfortable and yet felt uncomfortable. Shivering.

Oh. The trappings and the beauty of inclusion were so enticing. So enticing. She felt she was deserving of more, but life had other plans. Other directions with which to take the poor little shivering girl.

Heart and duty.

As she wearily sat down in a corner, she was drifting off as beautiful lights moved higher and higher into the sky. The poor, poor little girl saw them as stars in heaven.

And she was unafraid.

She saw one star fall, forming a long trail of fire.

”Now someone is dying”, the poor, poor little child said to herself. She had remembered the only person who had ever really loved the poor, poor little girl had told her that whenever a star falls a soul mounts up to God.

A soul. Mounts up. To God.

As the poor, poor little girl was drifting further away, she struck yet another match and a beautiful and bright light, such brightness appeared before her and she was face to face with the beautiful person who had once loved her. Grandmother! The poor, poor little girl recognized—sweet and mild, happy as she had ever looked on earth!

Take me with you!

The poor, poor little girl was frightened. “I know you will go away when the match burns out”. You too will vanish when the warm glow burns out. The girl cried out. She rubbed the rest of the matches against a cold and damp wall, in an attempt to keep her Grandmother with her. Never to burn out forever.

The brilliant light shined so brilliantly and Grandmother took the poor, poor little girl in her arms and they both flew together joyously and gloriously.

Their souls mounting higher and higher above the Earth.

They were now with God.

Frozen. The poor, poor little girl sat frozen in a corner on the last day of the year. With red cheeks and smiling, frozen mouth. Frozen to death.

People said she wanted to warm herself poor, poor little “thing”. No one imagined the sweet visions she had had, or how gloriously she was now with her grandmother to enter upon the joys of a new year.

Unafraid.

To feel another’s anguish is the essence of compassion. Compassion takes its stand with others in their distress. (wjb). Compassion is a virtue. Compassion takes seriously the reality of other persons, their inner lives, their emotions, as well as their external circumstances. An active disposition toward fellowship and sharing.

Compassion hurries us without reflection to the relief of those who are in distress. (Jjr)

As tiny babies in a nursery know, when one cries, they all cry. 😢. We are all in the same boat, “but for the Grace of God there go I”.

In checking our compassion card checklist, where and how do you stand?, how and why do you wish to exercise your compassion muscles? With others, your neighbor.

The power of consistent example. (wjb) Children know when they are being taken seriously, and they imitate what they see. This is both a blessing and a very important life challenge.

A Child’s Prayer

M. Bentham-Edwards

”God make my life a little light,

Within the world to glow;

A tiny flame that burners bright

Wherever I may go”

God make my life a little flower,

That giveth joy to all,

Content to bloom in native bower

Although its place be small.

God make my life a little song,

That comforters the sad;

That helps others to be strong,

And makes the singer glad.

God make my life a little staff,

Wherein the weak may rest,

That so what health and strength I have

May serve my neighbors best.