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February 19, 2015

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Photography, Poetry

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Speak for Compassion

Granite Bench

On this bench, many times I have contemplated skinned knees, heard stories of woe or watched battles royal fought by three- and four-foot folk. Now the snow and cold drives us indoors, where children’s pains seem more internal as well.

Speak softly
Without haste,
For a word,
Ill-placed,
May strike a blow
To one hurt
On the inside.
This we can avert.

Reflect on any
Plans or actions.
Evil arises from
Creation of factions.
Harsh words divide,
Conquer and defeat.
Imagine being the other.
Use compassion. Repeat.

Whether we are talking about children, adults, religions, towns or countries, we all need to pause and reflect. To imagine life as the other.

I don’t like to moralize,
Or antagonize,
But in the face of evil
Speak I will.
Choose an action
From compassion.

1000 Voices Speak for Compassion

Copyright 2015 Brenda Davis Harsham

Note: The combination of poetry, interspersed in prose, is called a haibun. This recent rash of school shootings, terrorism and racial and religious violence moved me to speak together with many others, in a movement started by Yvonne Spence. Let’s create a better world for our children, a magical, safe world where differences are celebrated rather than used to divide and ridicule.

52 thoughts on “Speak for Compassion”

  4. Compassion within to share will create a better world…You are succeeding in that Brenda, for you are the essence of compassion :)maryrose
    Beautiful …really Beautiful
    Take Care…You Matter…
    )0(

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  7. Speak softly and without haste is definitely something I needed to hear Brenda! I had a terrible row with my landlord yesterday, he’s not very thoughtful at the best of times and often tries to break his own tenancy rules. He’s doing a refit of my bathroom soon (should have been done last year) and he tried to change everything he’d previously said to me how and when the job was gong to be done and because he didn’t like me objecting he then tried to tell me he only needed to give me 24 hours notice of any major work in the flat – which is complete rubbish and not legal at all. The trouble is when people get blatantly selfish and try to walk on others, I find that very difficult to stay calm and not speak in haste. But of course that reaction often leads to making the situation worse. My brother rang my landlord and managed to talk some legal softly spoken sense into the man, he then agreed to give me ten days notice for the job (which is what he should have done to start with). He even put it in writing as if it was me that was objecting to the entire job being done – stupid man!!! 😐 I’m going to need learn to speak softly to him and definitely without haste. I have to remember that even tough he is essentially stupid most of the time – he is still human and probably has his own set of problems too.

    See, you never know when you write something what effect it has on another the other side of the world – thank you for that. 😀

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  9. Pingback: Ripples, Waves & My Compassion Lens | Baby Gates Down

  11. Brenda, I wish we could make children our world’s focus instead of business, oil and other impersonal subjects. The most important reason for Peace is to provide a safe and happy environment for the children, who truly are our future.

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