Compassion — Page 57

Love’s NOT the Greatest Thing

December 13, 2013 By ChuckBehrens 2 Comments

First time for me in 33 years of Ministry. A double-wedding ceremony.

It took place at the David Simpson Hospice House in Cleveland around 10:15 a.m. on 12/11/13.

Their mother is very sick and is declining rather quickly. “THEY” wanted to do something about as special as a son and a daughter can do for an ailing mother. Take her to a wedding: THEIR’S!

With a small amount of family and friends gathered into The Mediation Room that overlooked an angry Lake Erie on a dishwater gray Winter morning, they wheeled the bed of their mother into that small gathering.

I told them as we began the service, that no matter what Cathedral or highly adorned Sanctuary they’d ever find themselves, it would never be any more sacred than the walls of family and friends that surrounded them right then.

[Read more…]

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. . . .

http://thecaringcatalyst.com/224/

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!

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. . . .

Flat Compassion

October 28, 2013 By ChuckBehrens Leave a Comment

Yes…this is correct! Your eyes Do Not Deceive you. I’m not a huge fan of Flat Stanley.

For years our sister-in-law, Tracy, lived in Arizona and taught elementary school and had her class send Flat Stanley’s all over the country and one of them would inadvertently would find itself here in Bay Village, OH. It was great for the youngster who didn’t have anywhere else to send Flat Stanley because he would go everywhere in Northeast Ohio. The Art and History Museums, The Rock & Roll Hall of fame, Church, Lake Erie, Diners, Parks and yes, even my colonoscopy, unbeknownst to me, with his little blue booties and cap on.

I hate him. . . .

But, I’ve go to admit, Flat Stanley has been more places and and has touched more people’s lives than I will ever in the next 1000 years. He’s brought more smiles, stimulated more conversations, brought more people together and generally have made more people/kids feel good than my wildest imagination could ever conjure.

Hey, if Flat Stanley can do that, what about me, you, us? Maybe it’s a uphill battle or an unconquerable feat, but what a horizon to chase, huh? Because when it’s all said, done and complained about, Flat Stanley’s greatest trip is the one that takes us to the very center of Compassion. Now maybe, just maybe that’s the greatest, most adventurous trip he’s ever taken. . .and one that he continually invites and inspires!

Besides if you can’t strangle, dispose or beat him. . .uhhh, yeah, Join him. There’s much Compassion to not only receive, but ultimately to share and share and share again and again and. . . .

More Sunshine

October 25, 2013 By ChuckBehrens Leave a Comment

You know what’s great about Sunshine?

Sure, it’s nice, it’s bright, it’s warm, it’s comforting and soothing. It makes for great lyrics and in moderate amounts, it’s extremely healthy.

Still, the best thing about Sunshine, especially when it has all of these benefits is simply this: MORE OF IT! A Second Dose! A few more rays just when you thought it was gone, buried behind clouds or the lateness of the day, only to show to you IT’S RAYS ARE A LOT STRONGER AND SOMETIMES MORE SURPRISING than you’ve ever imagined!

I wrote a previous blog post on the great song, BRING ME SUNSHINE performed by the Jive Aces and Alex, a member of the band, read the blog, saw the video and suggested to me how I not only might view IT better but how it is that you the Reader and better still, the SEE-er of video might be able to view it as it was intended.

You want to know what’s better than Brought Sunshine? M O R E Sunshine brought with even brighter, warmer rays.

A huge SHOUT OUT to Alex and the Jive Aces. . .let this be yet another opportunity for you to enjoy their GIFT, and more, a better, more enriched, way to be inspired to not only to Share your own Sunshine, but to throw in a few extra illuminated and Warmed rays to some unexpected person living in a Black & White World, begging for the Color you promise just by Showing UP!

Get your SQUINT ON as you reach for those Sunglasses that don’t so much Block, but let in THAT warm Light so much needed by ALL. . . .

SITE MAP