Wow what a story. I have to say the first, very first thing that comes to my mind, is my surprise that people would be so “lifeless” when another being clearly needed help.

What you did was so compassionate. What the man in front you did was so touching. And the three of you together showed what it means to be human. The love and compassion that you demonstrated is incredible. One thing I am not surprised by in all of this, is that it was YOU, that you acted the way you did. I wouldn’t have expected any different from someone as deeply connected to the ALL as you.

Blessings to you always dear Robin. May you continue to spread love and care wherever you go and may all of us continue to be inspired and live out our own compassion in this world.

I am deeply touched by your moving comments here. I especially love the variety of them and the many varied perspectives and insights. I decide to respond a bit differently this week…just for the fun of it. So I have responded by telling you all what I like about each comment.

**I liked how JULIE said: “I will LIVE my answer.” Yes, when we do this we not only change other people’s lives for the better, but our own lives for the better. Julie already lives this in an astounding way. It makes her very angelic, like the beautiful man in my story.

**I like how JOHN – ZEN MOMENTS said: “…the man who could not speak or hear was a catalyst that spirit has arranged to call these choices out of all who were present.” Yes, as if he were an angel that arrived to give all present an opportunity to grow, to be uplifted. And yes, I do agree, dear John; that man’s spirit will always be with me, giving me courage, perspective and helping me set my priorities straight in life.

**I like the point NEA – SELFIMPROVEMENT SAGA makes: “One person with a heart as big as yours brings so much more joy to the world than what closed-minded, unconcerned people take from it.” YES! One person with a big loving heart and some courage can change the world, and can even outweigh what is taken from the world. We must never underestimate how much one person (each of us) can do, how much one single act of kindness can change the course of history.

**Thank you Sandy. I am honored and touched.

**I like what MIKE FOSTER wrote and find it absolutely key to living a happy, healthy and full life: “Sometimes it’s the little things in life that make the biggest differences…common courtesy and decency, a random act of kindness, or just those chance connections between one hopeful, helpless soul with another are magical moments that shape our beings and lives…for the better.

**I thank you KEEPER for your belief in me all these months. I know at times I shock people with how bold I am, but I reached a point in my life where I had nothing left to lose. In that “Nothingness” I found great peace. I loved the quote. I think with time, if humans remain on earth, they may one day discover that they ARE compassion. It not only heals others but self. And it heals deeply, totally.

** I like LOWELL’S line: “…no one should ever have to apologize for their pain.” Thank you for seeing and knowing Lowell. It warms my heart.

**Thank you, ONESTONEDCROW. I take great pleasure also in your amazing posts.

** I really like DERICK’S depth of insight into both the individual and the collective: “The essence of commonality and wholeness are to great to be ignored once the individual perspective sees what is and what matters in the greater scheme of things.” —There is a beautiful thread that runs through us all like a great river. When we can tap into that we truly are set free. We no longer experience ourselves as separate, but we begin to merge and flow through (and with) all that is.

** I like JONIE’S line: “…thank you for bringing healing and love to people in pain.” I like this because it is VERY much Jonie’s way of life. I also like it because it reminds me yet again that we cannot heal another without healing ourselves.

** I like MARCEL LEMIEUX’S comment because he is sooooo astoundingly alive. Everything he says and does is laden with deeply lived wisdom and beauty. I like this line: “…the meeting of hearts…” Yes, it truly was a meeting of hearts. It truly rocked my whole world in an unforgettable way. I became part of both the beautiful man and the grieving woman…and THEY became part of me. A merging of souls.

**I like LITA C MALICDEM’S line: ““Love’s in front of me and anger’s behind”. With much respect, I salute you for choosing what you did…” Thank you Lita. I think we all have these pivotal moments throughout our days, where we are being invited to choose between love and anger, or love and hate, or love and judgment, or love and fear. And I think in the act of choosing love we are transformed instantly, magically.

**I like LANCE’S comment because it made me really think, especially this line: “How often do I not see what is really going on around me, stuck in my own little world?” I have found that it is not books, teachings or other such things that bring me to awareness; it is being FULLY present in the moment and responding from heart impulses in that moment. When I do this, Life offers more opportunities for growth, healing and love than we could ever imagine. We BECOME Life itself, infused with vitality.

** I liked when KELLY said: “I have a couple of experiences where a stranger and I have connected for a brief moment, and I will always remember them too. Such events are truly beautiful moments in life” YES! I think it is these moments that remind me (in my entire being) that I am connected to something bigger, something that we are all part of. I am reminded of the greatness of humanity.

**I like TARA S. DICKHERBER, M.Ed, CPC’S line: “I shape my life and my environment by modeling the way I desire the world to be.” YES! This is soooo beautiful and key to a happy and rewarding life. When we can be proactive in shaping our world we live truly powerful lives. We no longer take a backseat in Life, waiting for Life to happen to us. Wonderful!!

**I agree with MICHELLE when she asks: “I cannot understand why sensitivity is not considered a gift….” In my world I cherish and respond openly to sensitivity. I see it as one of the most amazing gifts another person can give me. It tells me that they are still alive, still willing to take risks, still seeking Life itself. That is a really beautiful and good thing.

**I like David’s line: “There is something about standing in line in a grocery store that is very intense most of the time.” This not only made me chuckle but I think it’s true. It also made me want to be more observant when I’m in the line. I usually chat with people and notice what they eat or bouught. It’s actually a fascinating time and place to observe human nature.

**I like CHRIS EDGAR’S point: “…the people I ended up feeling most sympathy for were the people who were all impatient and huffy.” Yes, they too are to be embraced and not judged. Such a beautiful point. We all respond differently in different situations. It is not about an us and them. Often those who are the angriest or most bitter need love the most

**I like STEVEN AITCHISON’S honesty about his tears: “I am reading through tears… the other day and the same thing happened. I have never cried so much in my life…” I love this because it not only shows a willingness to be open and sensitive, which I just adore, but it confirms what I have sensed in you, Steven, all along. Steven has a heart a mile wide and pure gold.

**I like LYNDA LEHMANN’S comment because it again reminds us that we all hurt at some time, we all suffer and we are all connected…AND that we CAN help each other move more gently, kindly, compassionately through Life. She wrote: “It’s so much better to reach inside ourselves and find compassion and empathy, for we will, each of us, have many days like that woman. Unspeakable sadness to bear. Uncertainty, deprivation, pain and fear.” —Yes! This is so true, and to feel that we are at least connected to others during these times can make all the difference in the world. Sometimes it saves lives. It’s THAT important. Beautiful!!

**I treasure WILMA HAM’S honesty and find it priceless: “I would be so afraid to cry in public as I know my heart would hurt so much I would not know what to do with it. I would not know what to do with my love for these people and where to stop or where to begin and thus I do nothing.” —I think Wilma expresses how so many people feel and what stops many from trusting the innate and true “wisdom of heart”. —Maybe this is a topic for another post. What would happen if we let go and cried and loved and reached out shamelessly, unbounded by fear of rejection, criticism, of what we might find within ourselves, or worry that we might never stop crying for others, for self, for all of humanity. —It is in our tears that we often heal pain generations back and generations to come. Heart and Soul are boundless and if allowed will carry us deep into our own human nature. It is when we understand our OWN humanity that we clearly see, understand and embrace all humanity. —NOTE: I must add here that although Wilma openly shares her fear, she is one of the most fearless people I know. On her blog WILMA’S BLOG ON WOMEN LIKE ME she readily shares herself and her life and not JUST the seemingly neat and tidy sides of Life, but all the other aspects we humans share.

**I like JONATHAN – ADVANCED LIFE SKILLS comment because it carried his emotional response to the experience I shared. Very beautiful. He said: “Somehow we have all touched hearts right here and I can feel it to my core.” —That is so lovely and wise because it is exactly what I experienced the day this happened. Even writing about it for the first time brought back ALL the feelings of connection I experienced that day in the store. —This experience is a marker for me, a sign post that points the way to always live my life from my heart…no matter the outcome. We each can only be true to our hearts; what others do with it is up to them. Even if someone does nothing with it right now, years down the road they may remember a single act of kindness and draw on it for change.

**I like the creativity of ZUZANNA M’S comment. It comes from someone who has lived these types of experiences: “Have experienced many times similar situation and absolutely agree with your observation. If someone was with the camera at the time it would be a short movie from this picture, just life as is.” —Yes, it doesn’t not surprise me at all that you live these experiences, Zuzanna. And I LOVE the idea of little movies of Life’s Loving Experiences. We would all weep with joy. There are too few movies with powerful messages of love. Maybe that is something I can do at some point. Just remembering my day in the supermarket was so amazing as it’s permanently etched in my mine…like a beautiful little movie.

**I like the questions MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER – CRAIG HARPER raises. I especially like his last statement: “On some level we all understand that we have the ability to create chaos. And calm. Pain. And pleasure. Misery. And joy. Problems. And lessons. Despite what’s going on around us.” —Yes, and I think all we can each do is take each moment and and shape it as best we can. I choose to do a lot of “shaping” no matter how I feel. Some days it’s easier than others, but even on my worst days I find that shaping my world with Love and Compassion makes ME feel a whole lot better. I often forget my own challenges in the midst of reaching out to others. —In fact on the very day of that this story took place I was going through some extremely painful life changes. And yes, in listening to my heart and acting on it’s calling I was left feeling connected to my fellow humans, connected to love, compassion and joy. I KNEW without doubt that I was alive and loved.

**I just love SHIRLEY’S story. It moved me to tears and left me feeling humbled. Shirley is very wise and has a “life wisdom” far beyond her years. She is a dynamic advocate for the underdog and has a heart filled with compassion. This line just stunned me in it’s profundity:”The cashier ringing the order through is everybody.” —YES! That is one of the powerful lessons in this story. It is the single driving force that moves me to reach out. I see “other” as myself and am moved to love them. In doing so I love myself as well. IF you didn’t read SHIRLEY’S story here go back and read it.

**This line in RECYCLE CINDY’S comment really made me think: “It speaks volumes of how we need to be sensitive and take a moment in our fast paced lives to care about others.” —YES Cindy! When we can do this we begin to realize that what we THOUGHT was our “lives” may not be so. Maybe LIFE is found most fully in being sensitive and responding to each moment, from our hearts. Maybe there is MORE Life to be had in this manner that any other way we’ve previously known. Maaaybe, Life is found in living moment to moment.

I thank you ALL for your beautiful sharings.
I am so deeply grateful for your wisdom and kind hearts.
Love,
Robin