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There is a nobility in compassion, a beauty in empathy, a grace in forgiveness … this is true for me in everyday life. Some people think that these virtues are a sign of weakness, but for those of us who do this work, we know that compassion, empathy and forgiveness are the way to live a happy and healthy life. Compassion is essential to our ability to offer our services in a diverse environment, appreciating the creativity of others. One of the signs of compassion is advocating for others who cannot speak for themselves, which shows us how we should demonstrate respect for one another. When we feel empathy we think about placing ourselves in someone else’s situation and having the ability to share and understand the emotions of others. Grace is God’s very nature, and so he expects all who love him to be forgiving, just as he has forgiven us..
Some people find it challenging to forgive others who have hurt them, and might feel that the person does not deserve to be forgiven. Sometimes forgiving another may feel like “letting them off the hook.” While this is understandable, it is good to remind ourselves that forgiveness allows us to let go of any unhealthy connection we might have to those who have hurt us and move forward, with or without them. Forgiveness is good for the heart and body, our relationships and our place in the world. Compassion is a beautiful human character trait that gives meaning to life. It generates altruistic feelings that naturally exemplified in service to others without boundary or limit. Compassion is also an attribute of God that we are called to imitate in how we treat one another, given freely with an abundance of love, empathy, and forgiveness. In the words of Mother Teresa:
People are often unreasonable and self-centered; forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives; be kind anyway.
Saa Lebbie Director of Residential Operations, Developmental Programs

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