Compassion — Page 72

Feeder Goldfish ‘DO IT’

December 4, 2013 By ChuckBehrens Leave a Comment

It was purely a chance meeting–If there truly is such a thing.

Michelle Brown is a Team-Leader at Hospice of the Western Reserve. We ran into each other and after asking how we were doing and the recent Thanksgiving Holiday, she paused and then with a tear in her eye that was half-twinkle she told me about feeder goldfish. Hmmmmm…where can this possible go, right?

How about a Direct Hit to the Heart!

She told me that she and her husband didn’t go out and buy expensive, exotic fish, but ‘RESCUED’ feeder goldfish, who in this case weren’t in the greatest shape. They had somehow caught some kind of disease, that not only seemed to be killing them, one by one, but actually with fish parts falling off, were seemingly dying painfully.

In fact, just when she thought she was exceedingly adding to their suffering and was about to euthanize them she noticed something. . .something quite remarkable. The goldfish that were in the worst shape were actually being nurtured, by those who were in less bad shape. She stated that she saw how they would take turns, literally siding up besides the sickest and showing an overwhelming amount of compassion as they provided, dare I state it: PRESENCE!

Absurd?

I once saw two squirrels chasing one another and one inadvertently had run onto the street and got hit by a car even though it swerved to miss it. The car didn’t stop. I did. I actually saw the squirrel that was chasing the one now hit and killed, ran into the street and pull it off the road. I was paralyzed.

I’m sure there’s some YouTube/Google-ifric posts that would verify even much greater ANIMAL acts of Compassion.

Michelle wondered out loud about the WHY of it all…was she doing more harm than good, even though her intention was quite the opposite?

We then both wondered, maybe IT was to Teach. . .Teach her The Lesson, to Teach me the Lesson, to Teach You The Lesson, for you to Teach others The Lesson. . .I mean, isn’t that Life at it’s best and how it’s been handed down, benefited and handed down again?

It’s all about this Compassionate Presence isn’t it?

Maybe what SHOUTED OUT to me the Loudest is, if a Feeder Goldfish can show that kind of compassionate presence to one of it’s own, suffering and dying, then. . .then what about Me–You–Others?

Hmmmmmm for $10,000.00, Alex

December 2, 2013 By ChuckBehrens Leave a Comment

WARNING: G R A T I T U D E ALERT!

IF Thanksgiving is all about family gathers and feasts upon feasts that last entire weekends. . .

IF Thanksgiving is all about huge football rivalries that have you sitting on the edge of your chairs…

IF Thanksgiving is all about Pilgrims and Indians re-enactment of cute plays with moral meanings…

IF Thanksgiving is all about Gray Thursdays, Black Friday’s Pewter Saturdays, Cyber Mondays. . .

IF Thanksgiving is all about short vacations and getting out of work and school. . .

IF Thanksgiving is all about fine wine, cocktails, the first of holiday parties. . .

IF Thanksgiving is all about leftovers. . .

THEN IT IS O V E R!

But. . .

IF Thanksgiving is all about Gratitude. . .

Then it hasn’t begun. . .

Then it hasn’t concluded. . .

Then it HAS only C O N T I N U E D!

Pass me a Slice of Sincerity and a Cup of Compassion and let us proceed on the Gratitude Trail picking up others along The Way. . . .

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The Two Most Under-Heard-Words

November 27, 2013 By ChuckBehrens Leave a Comment

I get a Standing Ovation after every talk I give!

Maybe you’d never know unless you were actually There!

Many times near the end of a presentation, as a way of THANKING folks for their attendance and their attention I usually have them stand up all together. I tell them that there are two words they never hear ever enough:

THANK YOU!

And then, because none seldom do, and THEY never would, standing there, I tell them to give themselves a long over due, sincere, well-deserved Standing Ovation. And they do! Loudly! Exuberantly! With Smiles, Whistling, Yaaaaaaaa-hooooooing included…and, and exactly to the penny, what did it cost? What did it deposit in their respective emotional 401k’s?

You can Suppose about it all you want, but it’s more than mere theory or hunch now. Studies have been done and documented with not so surprising results: IT WORKS! IT’S LIFE-CHANGING!

These studies have actually concluded that the expression of sincere gratitude can have some fairly profound and positive effects on our health, our mood and most definitely our relationships. Shocker, huh?

Ok, don’t believe the Studies from the University of Texas Health Science Center or the University of California at Davis or the University of Miami or the University of Washington…use yourself as your own laboratory.

Keep a daily journal of just three things you are thankful for and why.

Make it a practice to tell someone that’s significant to you something you appreciate about them every day.

Look in the mirror when your combing your hair or brushing your teeth and think about something you have done well recently or something you like about yourself.

Maybe it’s true: If you’ve forgotten the language of gratitude, you’ll never be on speaking terms with happiness.

The world doesn’t always have to have a reason to kick you in the teeth every time you smile, but it does. Still, walk in your field and cultivate this attitude of gratitude, and PRESTO: things don’t just look better–THEY ACTUALLY GET BETTER!

Thankfulness feels good, it’s good for you and it’s a blessing for the people around you. It’s such a win-win-win that I’d say we have a cause for gratitude…even without a day just for THAT.

Please, Stand, Give yourself a Standing Ovation! And. . .

Thank You!

Happy Thanksgiving.

Spelling C-O-M-P-A-S-S-I-O-N

November 25, 2013 By ChuckBehrens Leave a Comment

So often we don’t think COMPASSION is an Inside Job or our Responsibility–It’s Someone Else’s job or at least their turn and it’s something, at the least, just mystically happens.

WRONG!

It doesn’t matter if it’s Health Care, or Education or Politics, or the Arts. It doesn’t matter what Gender or age or weight or height. Compassion is more than a Feeling or even a glancing high-tech Touch.

Enough!

Sympathy says, “I’m sorry,”

Compassion Yells, “HOW CAN I HELP?”

Studies actually show that when we feel most in tune with another, even our autonomic nervous systems join a in a harmonious rhythm.

Compassion is more than a “Good Thing.” “A Nice thing to do” “A Good way to be.”

Our world has never been in more need of this one simple, consistent Act as it is right now.

Compassion is the least expensive, less evasive, most powerful non-pharmological means to actually change, heal, complete another’s life.

You really want to know how to spell C-O-M-P-A-S-S-I-0-N?

It’s this simple: Y-O-U!

Y O U have the ability to not only enhance and actually change a life. . .but actually SAVE ONE!

Now! Do this now!

Even reading this has wasted precious time for Someone you can help with a word, a deed, a look, a smile, a touch, a hand attached to an arm you could drape around a shoulder and hug a little closer.

Y-O-U. . .”The Answer!”

Hearing What I Didn’t Say

November 18, 2013 By ChuckBehrens Leave a Comment

Well?

Everyone has a story that not only desperately needs to be told, but absolutely, unequivocally needs to be heard. Are you THAT Person? Or do you make sure person after person walks past you without caring, ever really trying to even begin to hear, understand, wonder if indeed, this is the worst day of their life?

Did you hear what I didn’t say? Many don’t. . .but DID YOU?

I might not want to share. It might not feel safe. I don’t want to waste your time or bother you.
But. . . .

Wait, linger a second or two longer and you might not, in fact, hear what I didn’t say, but actually understand, empathize and even make the story lighter, easier to carry, tell, hear.

And. . .and yes, if it hasn’t happened yet or many times over, there will be THAT time when your story needs to be told, desperately heard by another defeated, unsuspecting Someone who too has a untold, unheard Story!

If we truly could see in the Hearts of another, we’d better hear what wasn’t said but needs noticing.

Be THAT Someone. . .Often. And repeat, always, more than necessary!

Fix You

November 11, 2013 By ChuckBehrens Leave a Comment

Is there a worse feeling, EVER?

You want to help, but there seemingly is nothing you can do. No word to speak, no phrase to utter, no deed to do, no wish to be granted. A painful helplessness. Terrible.

But all is not lost. There’s the absolute one thing, maybe the only thing that’s better than any prescription, therapy, intervention, or experiment.

YOU. Just You. Your Presence. Not your words. Not your deeds. Not your, “There, there’s. . . .”

Just YOU.

Show up and watch the healing take place!

It’s the most curing, the most compassionate, caring thing you can ever share.

You! Show up! Watch the healing begin. . .and forget to end!

More Than Breaking Bread

November 4, 2013 By ChuckBehrens Leave a Comment

I don’t believe I’ve ever read or written any poems or prose, certainly no blog posts about Pizza. I heard something recently that now has made that possible. I recently read something from a friend of a friend talking of all things, about Pizza. Pizza goes all the way back to the ancient tradition of breaking bread and it’s one of the few foods that people still share as a group of family and friends. We gather around it, it’s circular (the symbol for eternal) and we break our share of the pizza (bread). Where as other food we have OUR OWN, our own burger, our own steak, our own plate, our own silverware. . .I’ve got to tell you, I’ve never quite thought of Pizza that way before.

Most of the time, we receive valuable offers, get updated on new products, or have pictures sensually shown us of our great food. Today, I’m simply inviting you to look at Pizza in another way, not just because we love food or might receive a great offer or get gas points by purchasing a gift card at a grocery store. No. . .just because you will have a chance to SHARE with a loved one, a family member, a friend or a group of folks around a pizza and break bread together!

Time for a Pizza? You do know it’s a lot more than just breaking bread, well, now you do!

Rings True

November 1, 2013 By ChuckBehrens Leave a Comment

Of all nights. . .I just came back from conducting the wedding of a young couple who wanted to get married on Halloween. It wasn’t a “dress up” wedding and I just wore a suit with no Robe/vestments or Priest’s collar. It was just a few select family members and friends, nothing fancy, nothing complicated or drawn out.

They were apologetic about their rings–they were borrowed because they couldn’t afford the ones they wanted and asked me if I would bless them when they picked them out.

During the Ceremony I pointed out that we don’t wear wedding rings because they show the world, especially people we’ve yet to meet, that we are no longer ‘available.’ We wear rings, exchange them, to remind us, and especially people we’ve yet to meet, that like the Roundness of the ring, which has no beginning or ending, we complete one another.

Wait there’s more. . .According to the tradition in some countries, the wedding ring is worn on the left ring finger because the vein in the left ring finger, referred to as the vena amoris, was believed to be directly connected to the heart, a forever symbol of love in any language or country.

Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter or May Day–that Rings True, doesn’t it?

Still, no matter how powerful the symbol, it never compares to the ‘Real Thing.’ Wear That and you’ll truly find that your best days are the ones yet to be created, but longed to be lived. . .loved. . . .

Let Your Life Shine

October 30, 2013 By ChuckBehrens Leave a Comment

Often when I’m giving a presentation or workshop of “Palliation For The Soul,” I show this film clip.

I believe I’m the only bald man that actually buys Pantene Shampoo because I love what this makes us feel.

Every day, several times a day, we have opportunities to be Victor’s or Victims. Sometimes those lines blur seamlessly so it’s almost impossible to tell the difference between the two. And then we don’t look, so much as Feel. . .Experience the Difference.

When’s the last time, just by showing up, your life became EXTRAordinary? We all have the capabilities of inviting, making, allowing the very best of our lives to Shine and yes, it often does that best on our darkest days, our bleakest, grayest moments.

Make your Life ExtraORDINARY. Play your own Music. Be the Instrument that everyone needs in their Orchestra. Bring your Shine to the Shadows that lurk and haunt; Not just Today, but especially THIS DAY!

See. Be. Free that Luminosity Beaming to get out of you. . . .

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