Defining Compassion to Myself
The word “Compassion” was not part of my vocabulary in the past, it’s very sad to know that I didn’t quite know its definition until I came upon it. I’ve been part of two High School programs that helped me give back to my community which are the Army JROTC and School for Advance Studies. Over all I feel very accomplished when I’m part of these programs but there is an experience I got to hold that made me realize that I have more than one purpose in not only my life but in others, the program that has made me define myself as a compassionate person has been Students Run L.A.
Students Run L.A. is a program that gives students an experience to gain goalsetting, character development, adult mentoring and improved health by providing us with a truly lifechanging experience. The experience is to train for and complete the Skechers Performance Los Angeles Marathon. I became the team captain for the team not because of my running abilities but for my personality. Getting to know the runners that surrounded me led me to realize how ignorant we can be to not help others that are going through tough situations. I know it’s very hard to make a new friend, we are all timid but I didn’t let that get in my way of getting to know my team. I wanted my team to feel that there is someone they can count on as they run and to have someone to motivate them. To me, compassion means to be there for someone and to believe in them. Compassion comes to me in a form of feeling than defining because my feelings control my actions and usually I always put myself in other people’s situations to understand them. I changed the perspective of students when I encouraged them to join and after they felt so accomplished after starting a running life and completing the marathon.
A special person that looks up at me is my mother because ever since I took the challenge to start running, she followed my lead into a better healthy life style. Having a compassionate outlook can change yourself and another person’s point of view in life, we could save lives as well by leading them into a more positive life style.
It feels nice to have someone that can look up to you. Compassion is more than a word, it speaks out in different ways and the way I show compassion is by believing in others and to help them reach their goals. Being the team captain doesn’t make me superior than others, instead I feel it’s my job to keep the runners encouraged. Living as a compassionate person can lead you to live a positive life, I strongly encourage others to take the word compassion as one of their vocabulary words now because like I said before compassion defines itself by the person who works to be it.
|
