Compassion is when we expression sympathy, pity or concern for the suffering or misfortune of others, and show our willingness to take action to help.  This is a very positive emotion that has to do with being thoughtful and decent.  When you have compassion you are placing yourself in someone else’s position and really feeling for them, and embodies a tangible expression of wanting to help those who are suffering.

Wanting to help includes such things helping someone close to you such as family or neighbours, to victims of large disasters such as hurricanes or earthquakes, and comes in many forms of help from a simple hug for your child’s small hurt to going and helping at hurricane clean up and helping victims.

This quality of showing and displaying understanding another creature’s suffering, not only helps the recipient of the help but also gives good positive feelings to the person doing the helping.