compassion

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Tysen Lane. June 12, 2013.
Crying during my sermons has become pretty standard these days. So it was no surprise yesterday that, at the end of my sermon as I was expressing my gratitude to my father and all the members of Fairview Friends Meeting who have been instrumental in my spiritual upbringing, I got choked up and the tears started flowing.

The unexpected part was that after I sat down and settled into our period of reflection Tysen walked herself up the aisle, around the pulpit, and climbed onto my lap.

It reminded me of a visit I made to a children's HIV/AIDS hospital in India. One of the women on the trip with me sat down and started crying. She herself had spent the first several months of her life in an orphanage in India and, even though she had been adopted as a small child and had a wonderful upbringing in the United States, she couldn't contain the emotion at seeing these children, many of whose parents had died of AIDS. It wasn't long before a group of kids were at her side, comforting her, drying her tears. They had nothing in all the world, and yet they had the biggest hearts I've ever seen.

Just like Tysen.

She didn't say a word. Or hug me or hold my hand. She just sat with me.

Maybe she did it because she knew her presence would give me comfort and strength. Maybe because it would give her comfort to comfort me. Probably both.

Whatever it is, it comes naturally to her. A God-given gift. And yesterday I was blessed to be on the receiving end.

EMBRACE COMPASSION.

The smallest gesture can show the greatest love.


Comments

  1. Comrade KevinJune 17, 2013 at 7:41 AM

    There are times I wish unprogrammed Friends incorporated sermons into Meeting for Worship. Before I was a Quaker, I heard many that inspired me and some that put me into a deep slumber.

    It is indeed wonderful to have a loving community of support. I fly home to Birmingham on Wednesday to re-connect with my own.

    ReplyDelete

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