SO TRUE, UNLESS THOSE ON THE 'HILL' CAN MAKE SOME MONEY OUT OF LENDING A 'HELPING HAND' THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO IT. AND, SADLY, WITH THE PRESENT ADMINISTRATION THINGS WILL NOT GET BETTER, BUT WORSE. WITH ALL THE RESOURCES THAT THE ENTIRE WORLD HAS, IF WE ALL COMBINED OUR EFFORTS TO HELP OTHERS, WE WOULD HAVE NOT A SINGLE PERSON GOING TO BED HUNGRY...FOR ANYTHING! AND YOU ARE RIGHT...'COMPASSION' HAS FLOWN AWAY AND WHY? BECAUSE THE LOVE FROM ABOVE HAS BEEN REJECTED AND WE DO NOT FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS BUT AFTER OUR OWN SELFISH HEARTS. EACH OF US HAS THE CAPACITY TO GIVE, TO HELP IN SOME WAY...NOT THE SAME WAY...BUT IN SOME WAY. BUT WITHOUT COMPASSION THIS WILL CONTINUE TO NOT HAPPEN. I LIKE THE PHOTOGRAPH; BORN WITH A PURPOSE, SUBMITTED TO GOD, SHE DID WHAT SHE WAS CALLED TO DO AND TO THE POOREST OF THE POOR...SHE WAS COMPASSIONATE. THANKS FOR THIS MOST TIMELY SHARING, RONALD, I ENJOYED IT. LOVE, BLESSINGS AND FAITH...JOYCE * HIS INSPIRATIONS

Religion condemns but spirituality saves. Especially when it is bonded through empathy love and compassion. Unfortunately there are more sheep in the world then herders. And Jesus, well, we are a far cry from being like him, I for one am trying, what else can I say Ron, except that you've written a good meaningful poem. Have a great day, xo

Yes, compassion is one of the keys to changing the world, but rarely will you find anyone WITH money showing that compassion unless they have been poor and destitute at one time...~e~

Loss of human contact may contribute to loss of compassion. Rarely does one hear of writing a letter or going to a friends home to "talk" and have coffee. Today, one must strive to find compassion. Yes, helping others is why we are here, in my opinion.

Love ya!

Jane

This poem is a call to action if we really want to improve the world!

An absolutely wonderful and timely write Ron! I recently volunteered to help distribute and provide shoes, socks backpacks and school materials to needed and the homeless kids in the neighborhood. If we are NOT careful, people will get in the way of our good intentions. When I arrived most of the tables were filled with folks who volunteered on a regular basis. Some seemed very territorial.In other words, some turned you away as if to say "Don't mess with my mess" so you had to carefully pick where to help out. I decided to help distribute shoes because the waiting line was enormous. The problem was the guy running the show had to dig in a big basket to find the right shoe size for each child that he helped which took forever. So I quickly sorted the sneakers by size on a table so he could easily find what size the kids needed. I said to him, "just tell me the size shoe and I will give you what you need" to which he gave me a dirty look. He told me not to help him for he was doing fine and keep the shoes far away from everyone or they will take them if they are too close. I assured him no one will take them away while I am here. So we reluctantly worked together and the long lines diminished in no time. Towards the end I was happy with our progress despite the friction from within. Then some of the kids came up to me and smiled and I realized again why were were there for, to serve others and to help a child. These handicapped homeless kids will break your heart. Regardless of the big folks who got in the way hat a joy it was to help those kids that day. Hurray for KIDS! Amen my friend!

I believe most of us have compassion and try to do the right things

Always,
Deborah

The truth speaks volumes in this piece. It basically comes down to who can control who, and who has the power to control. Money, politics and religion are the great controllers, and we the sheeple follow blindly.
An absolutely great write.

You are oh so right. Compassion is the key. A fine poem, nicely rendered in couplets. John

Your altruistic high-mindedness is admirable, Ron, but I still feel that Homo sapiens as a species is functionally doomed. For all our efforts to be compassionate, it's but a drop in the bucket of our relentless quest for survival of the personal, the 'me' and the relentless and undeterrably egocentric nature of all human actions. One of my earliest conclusions about humankind as a failed 'highest evolved sentient life form' was that the ultimate solution to all our earthly woes and sadnesses is to 'drop the big one' and exterminate all human life on this poor, beleagured planet. Only then can Mother Nature make a further effort to come up with a better and more highly evolved life form to replace our miserably failed species. After 70 years, I still appreciate the rectitude of that sentiment. As Charles Baudelaire once famously observed: "There is no dream of love, however ideal it may be, which does not end up with a fat, greedy baby hanging from the breast." Sic semper mortum.

All that said, this offering of yours piece is a nice, flowing composition that is well articulated. Thanks.

"the strong get stronger, as though planned." This line reminds me of Robert Mercer and his daughter. A good way to rid the earth of us poor folks, including the manipulation of health care. How I wish more people could see the big picture, as you have in this write.
L,L

Oh I agree with you concerning Religion, Ron. I have compassion. I help whenever I can, although money-wise it is difficult for me. I like this indepth poem

Your take on what surrounds us today is spot on. True compassion, the kind written and taught by the ancient philosophers, is more than just an endangered principal. As your poem suggests, lack of compassion in a society bent on trying to be happy is the slow corrosion of those behaviors that once made up the definition of sentient beings. Hopefully, some of us can continue to respect our ability to be compassionate while finding it is a core value for happiness.

You're so right! Mankind is everyone's business.