ABSTRACT
Compassion is a choice that requires courage to turn towards suffering rather than away from it. Discerning a response that is compassionate requires wisdom that is cultivated by reinforcement through the everyday practice of navigating through complexities with mindful awareness and intentioned presence. It is not about doing or being as much as it is about intention and motivation. Similar to compassion, grief is also a reminder of people's shared humanity. People grieve because they have engaged and invested in an aspect of life that suddenly is no more. They lose those that they love. People must leave places and careers that formed their core sense of identity. Compassion acknowledges the presence of suffering and the desire to relieve that suffering in whatever ways are possible. Grief reminds people that some wounds must be carefully tended, with a shared sense of presence in the midst of tremendous pain.
