A flood of compassion tears fall on a senseless act of violence and incomprehensible hate. I am shocked by an act that snuffed out 50 “points of nothingness” that Merton writes about. I believe, no, I know, that those points from New Zealand have crossed the veil into a new existence. Yet, I wonder how each of us, individually and collectively, will meet the challenge represented by death times 50. How will our compassion not only be a healing balm to the world but be a catalyst for change?
For someone who wants to understand how personal suffering that leads to unconscionable acts, I cannot even ask what this terrorist was thinking. I do not want to know what caused his heart to be crusted by fear and anger and bigotry. Maybe I am just too fatigued or don’t want to look in the face of evil. Maybe I don’t want to even try to understand the act that created a blanket of suffering that threatened to suffocate a peaceful place. Maybe I want to focus on the resilience and compassion of the Kiwis.
So, I turn my compassion to those whose lives have been irrevocably changed by these 50 deaths in New Zealand. I am heartened by the outpouring of care and support that happens moments after the attack and continues days later. As my compassion spirals to reach the wisps of suffering caused by this violent act of bigotry, I realize that compassion is the ultimate power, the change agent that can transform the world — if we choose to act.
Violence is a miasma, a cyclone bomb that wreaks havoc on our individual and collective body, mind, spirit, and heart. I can’t help but wonder why we don’t realize when we are so adamant about standing our ground that we forget that the ground belongs to all of us. And, I wonder: How can we grow a place of welcome amid the growing violence? How can we extinguish the flame of hate and nurture the spark of love? How can we be compassion’s presence in this world gone awry?
Compassionate action begins by reaching out to family, friends, acquaintances, and the intimate stranger. First, we connect with those who hold our core beliefs. We join with them to create a world where love is the greeting, the farewell, and every act in between. We set our intent not to get so caught in the minutia of what we want that we miss the potential for real sustained transformation as individuals and as community.
Because, really, we are in this together, you and I. Unless I can truly seed the gap by listening and responding to you — and you hoe a row, by listening and responding to me, peace and love cannot bridge our divide. If the chasm continues to grow, then we are doomed. The violence within us will continue to flare and race across the chasm laying waste to everything in its path.
But, I have hope. Continued violence and destruction need not be the outcome. If we can reach out with love, set aside our judgments and defenses, truly listen, we can live in a world where the wildfires of violence are contained. We cannot change an act of violence after the fact, but we can seed bridges of love and compassion with our points of nothingness-light shining from within.
Vanessa F. Hurst, ms, is a Life Coach through Intuitive Connection, professional speaker, and author who weaves her inner wisdom into all she touches. Her books are available through www.wildefyrpress.com. Contact Vanessa @ vanessa@intentandaction.com for life coaching, keynotes, programs, and intuitive consultations.
Twitter: @fyrserpent / ©2019
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