The arm of compassion

How far can the arm of compassion reach?  What do we need to do differently to start including acts of caring and sharing into our daily thoughts?  To answer the first question, I believe that the arm of compassion has no boundaries.  The potential is limitless and its power and strength is immeasurable.

As for the second question, I believe it requires some soul searching on the part of each reader.  For me, I see now that my soul searching precipitated me to write this Blog.  I not only wanted to bring awareness to others but I also had the need to express my thoughts with the hopes that somehow and in some way I could be a catalyst for others to reach out and help someone; or at least muster up some curiosity because curiosity is a precursor to exploration.  Through exploring the depths of our soul, we gain wisdom. 

We hear daily about sexual abuse by educators, bullying in school and in the workplace, neglect and injury being caused to others and most of the time we stand on the sidelines and watch.  I know that I could have stood on the sidelines and watched Betty deteriorate further but I choose to show by example to others that I wanted to share a piece of me with Betty as I openly and willingly came to her aid.  No money was exchanged – Betty’s daughter and husband made it clear. It wasn’t about the money; it was about compassion for another human being who needed help.  When I first started this journey, I thought it was all about Betty but I soon discovered that this experience was helping me define my purpose for living—for in truth it was about me.  It is about having a strong sense of inner peace knowing that I can reach out and touch the soul of someone else and at the same time experience the joy and peace within my soul. 

It is interesting to discover, that when I made Betty happy and laugh, I actually was happy and laughed too.  And when she looked at me and said, this is fun, I, too was having fun.  Isn’t that what we all crave for?  It is the interconnectedness between individuals that helps feed our soul, heal our minds and nurtures our bodies.  We are social being who thrive on relationships and a strong desire to be part of a community.  It is that interconnectedness that helps us survive instead of decay.  I experienced first hand how an elderly human being responded to kindness and genuine thoughtfulness.  It was like awakening a sleeping flower – when it felt the sunlight it opened up and became alert and responsive. 

 Inner peace and happiness is our birthright and I believe is imbedded within our very core. When we feel its energy and absorb those feelings, we are one with our Creator.  Love and compassion go hand in hand with that sense of peace and happiness.  Every time we become insensitive to others, and ourselves we rob ourselves of these gifts. 

There will always be conflict in the world because there are people in the world who thrive on discord and tormenting others.  Sometimes it starts as a game and other times it becomes a mental state of mind.  This blog is not reaching out to those individuals but rather it is being written to people like you and me whom I believe choose to reach down into the depths of our soul and wonder—question and seek meaning and purpose for being here in the first place. Whether we like it or not, we need encouragement and support in our lives.  We notice it most when we are very young and when we are very old.  But that strong connection to feel accepted, loved and respected is within each one of us.  This is our chance to participate with an open and sincere heart as we attempt to share messages of compassion and it is certainly a chance for our voice to be heard. 



Joan Marie Ambrose

Author, Creative Writer, Motivational Speaker

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• Read from the beginning: Why I Started this Blog

Human vulnerability

Reaching out, trying to hold on, afraid to let go – afraid of the unknown, all of those emotions and many more were surfacing through her head as she looked at me and tried to hold her composure.  Are these the words that are expressing Betty’s emotions and thoughts or are they quite possibly my words and my thoughts?  We all will get there some day.  Each one of us, if we are blessed will grow old and quite possibly those same words will filter through our head.

How do we get through it?  How do we prepare?  Who do we trust, that is trust our lives with in the hopes that we will receive the proper treatment, the emotional and physical nurturing and equally important, the respect that we deserve.  Working with Betty and sharing quality time with her caused me to think those thoughts and wonder what my destiny would be when I am 90 years old. 

The vulnerability of humanity is a topic waiting to be examined and discussed openly.  We are all vulnerable to our emotions and feelings and at times those emotions get in the way of our highest and best good. 

For me, vulnerability is a double-edged sword.  There is a degree of fear and worry when we think we may be at risk or exposed in our relationships whether they be personal or professional.  Yet it is the other side of vulnerability that I am speaking to now.  It is that face of  being vulnerable which has peaked my interest and concern because that is a time when we are completely defenseless and weak at the same time and thus unable to care for ourselves.  If you have ever been in love, you have been vulnerable.  If you have been successful in your career, I am sure there were times when you were vulnerable.  At this time, my thoughts go to the defenseless people, the older people as well as the children of the world who need our help; support, encouragement but most of all need our understanding and compassion.  To be vulnerable or susceptible to social or emotional injury is one thing but to be completely defenseless and at the mercy of others is another.  Betty attempted to put on the mask of being in control of herself and her life.  Her outgoing and charismatic personality has been a powerful tool that she has used her entire life to get what she wanted and it has worked well for her.  Yet now she is weakening due to many circumstances that I have alluded to  within this blog.  I was able to see through that mask and I am sure, due to my strong intuitive talents, I was able to see beyond the veil. 

My heart gets broken ever time I see humans act inhumanly.  The vulnerability of humanity in its purest sense is a beautiful thing but when it is misused and abused it becomes quite ugly.  It is those thoughts and feelings that are experienced by the very young as well as the old so is it any wonder that as we grow in years that those feelings do not lessen but only stay firmly rooted in our sensibilites.   This is a question that continually surfaces in my head.  I do not pretend to know the answer.  More and more I am beginning to realize that quite possibly there is no answer;  It might only require an awakening and an awareness into self – how we choose daily to act and interact with others and ourselves as well.  What do you think?



Joan Marie Ambrose

Author, Creative Writer, Motivational Speaker

Services and Products by Joan Marie Ambrose

• Read from the beginning: Why I Started this Blog

In the tangled webs of life we can still find compassion & offer support

In the tangled webs of life we can still find compassion and offer support.

In my mind, compassion is the caring for self and others. Yes, we often forget to be loving and caring to ourselves.  Too often we place ourselves last and ignore the warning sign that our intuitive nature is attempting to share.  Compassion is a virtue that enables you to feel empathy and concern for another.  I do not think of it as sympathy because for me, sympathy has a different connotation. For the short time that I cared for Betty, I was not feeling sorry for her state of affairs or life as it is now but rather I chose to offer her friendship, positive interaction and a sense that joyful possibilities could be hers if she was willing to (in her case) eat properly, walk often and do activities that would strengthen her mind.  Those were my concerns then and still are today.  

I saw first hand how her mental and physical inactivity contributed to her overall degenerating quality of life.  She was left alone for exceptionally long periods of time and while she was alone she simply laid in her bed and vegetated.  You do not have to be a 98 and one-half year old person to sink into that state.  It unfortunately happens to often to many people who fall between the cracks of our society.  It doesn’t take a government to make the changes.  It simply takes people who have a genuine sense of caring and sharing; who have compassion.

Sometimes we don’t have the power to help another, but we can still express compassion and have a sense of sharing and caring because but for the grace of God, that could be me.  In fact, every time I see someone less fortunate that I, whether it be a disabled person, a homeless person or someone challenged in someway, I say a prayer and ask God to give them courage and strength.  I may not have the power to give personal assistance and as with Betty, her family rejected my assistance, but I certainly have the ability to care and give what little I can.  Often the sharing and caring is in the form of a prayer. 

When you are led to believe that your task, your part in any given situation is complete, I also believe that that is the time to walk away gracefully and don’t look back.  For me, looking back opens the door to pain—it can be doubt or what if I could do more—possibly even continue the fight to make your point. None of that matters; what does matter is for you to move onward and upward as you continue on your own personal journey.  So I ask you to contemplate the tangled web of your life and see if there is any room in it for you to express and/or experience compassion?

Joan Marie Ambrose
Author, Creative Writer, Motivational Speaker

• Read from the beginning: Why I Started this Blog