I believe that compassion is key to creating peace in the world. Throughout my life and even this very day I have experienced this epiphany again and again. My first experience with compassion creating peace was when I was five. My most recent was today at seventeen. It has repeatedly been the spice added to the meal that is my life.
When I was five, I went to school for the first time. Before school had even started, I had made the biggest bully in school my enemy simply by telling them that hurting others was wrong. As school went on, the entire campus would become my enemy due to reasons I would not understand until later in my life. During my time at that cruel school I would discover the importance of compassion and, as I have said, it would influence my life forever.
In the beginning I was confused and hurt by the insensitivity of others and having to run to the girls’ bathroom or the library to hide from my tormentors. Every day I’d come home close to tears; letting my guard down only then. Eventually the tears stopped for me and transferred to my mother who could do nothing to help me due to our lack of income. As time went on my mother and I would talk about it asking ourselves, “Why would they do this? What did I do to deserve this? Did I not do the right thing?” In the end I knew I did the right thing and my mother helped me understand that it wasn’t that everyone disliked me. It was that they were scared.
Everyone was scared of receiving the same treatment I was and even though they participated in the tormenting it wasn’t really because they wanted to.
That helped me deal with the bullying and I was able to keep a strong will and a strong heart knowing I was iconic for my peers. I couldn’t fall apart when I was waving the flag of righteousness. I created armor out of the determination, understanding, and my desire to protect. I made my blade out of forgiveness and my shield out of peace. I felt like a knight of compassion and I planned to remain one.
After the events at my elementary school I moved and started at a new middle school. It was here that I met a girl who I shall call Mary. She was a bully I hadn’t met and used tactics I had never had to face before, along with weapons that held a stronger blow. However, I had not been doing nothing while I was not at war with pain and cruelty. I honed my blade and polished my armor checking for kinks and rebuilding with love from family and support from friends.
This girl’s weapons were indeed strong, but her armor was laughable and it made me scared to truly attack with weapons that could hit. My blade and shield took time to do damage and so I had other weapons just in case. I was frightened of using them on her knowing she was in pain and took it out on me.
Mary’s armor hid wounds that, though I could not see, were deep. I took her blows trying not to let them break my armor for two months and it was getting to a point where my mother was about to call the administration cavalry. I asked for one more week to think of a new tactic. She agreed after some time and during this week I had formulated my battle plan. I would invite Mary to my birthday celebration and just as I surprised her with this invitation, she surprised me with her acceptance.
The miracles Mary had to show were plentiful still when she appeared in my sanctuary. She wore her armor and had no weapons that I could see though I refused to remove my own. During this party Mary had gotten me the best presents and participated with the most enthusiasm. In exchange I directed my party to be about Mary for I felt that what she needed wasn’t an enemy, but someone she could call a friend. As it turns out I was correct and as I got to know Mary I discovered she had just lost her father about a month ago right down the street from where she lived.
Mary was also being abused at home and compared to the physical wounds on her body, my wounds were quite laughable. My armor was fixed and I helped her fix her own. I showed her new weapons and new tactics. No longer did she need to be on the side of pain, but of compassion.
I believe that compassion is the first step to world peace. It is a way of triumph, it is an oath, it is a way of life. I relearn the lesson of compassion nearly every day and it is a lesson I hope to never stop learning. Being compassionate helps others as well as yourself, and this is why I believe in compassion.
When I was five, I went to school for the first time. Before school had even started, I had made the biggest bully in school my enemy simply by telling them that hurting others was wrong. As school went on, the entire campus would become my enemy due to reasons I would not understand until later in my life. During my time at that cruel school I would discover the importance of compassion and, as I have said, it would influence my life forever.
In the beginning I was confused and hurt by the insensitivity of others and having to run to the girls’ bathroom or the library to hide from my tormentors. Every day I’d come home close to tears; letting my guard down only then. Eventually the tears stopped for me and transferred to my mother who could do nothing to help me due to our lack of income. As time went on my mother and I would talk about it asking ourselves, “Why would they do this? What did I do to deserve this? Did I not do the right thing?” In the end I knew I did the right thing and my mother helped me understand that it wasn’t that everyone disliked me. It was that they were scared.
Everyone was scared of receiving the same treatment I was and even though they participated in the tormenting it wasn’t really because they wanted to.
That helped me deal with the bullying and I was able to keep a strong will and a strong heart knowing I was iconic for my peers. I couldn’t fall apart when I was waving the flag of righteousness. I created armor out of the determination, understanding, and my desire to protect. I made my blade out of forgiveness and my shield out of peace. I felt like a knight of compassion and I planned to remain one.
After the events at my elementary school I moved and started at a new middle school. It was here that I met a girl who I shall call Mary. She was a bully I hadn’t met and used tactics I had never had to face before, along with weapons that held a stronger blow. However, I had not been doing nothing while I was not at war with pain and cruelty. I honed my blade and polished my armor checking for kinks and rebuilding with love from family and support from friends.
This girl’s weapons were indeed strong, but her armor was laughable and it made me scared to truly attack with weapons that could hit. My blade and shield took time to do damage and so I had other weapons just in case. I was frightened of using them on her knowing she was in pain and took it out on me.
Mary’s armor hid wounds that, though I could not see, were deep. I took her blows trying not to let them break my armor for two months and it was getting to a point where my mother was about to call the administration cavalry. I asked for one more week to think of a new tactic. She agreed after some time and during this week I had formulated my battle plan. I would invite Mary to my birthday celebration and just as I surprised her with this invitation, she surprised me with her acceptance.
The miracles Mary had to show were plentiful still when she appeared in my sanctuary. She wore her armor and had no weapons that I could see though I refused to remove my own. During this party Mary had gotten me the best presents and participated with the most enthusiasm. In exchange I directed my party to be about Mary for I felt that what she needed wasn’t an enemy, but someone she could call a friend. As it turns out I was correct and as I got to know Mary I discovered she had just lost her father about a month ago right down the street from where she lived.
Mary was also being abused at home and compared to the physical wounds on her body, my wounds were quite laughable. My armor was fixed and I helped her fix her own. I showed her new weapons and new tactics. No longer did she need to be on the side of pain, but of compassion.
I believe that compassion is the first step to world peace. It is a way of triumph, it is an oath, it is a way of life. I relearn the lesson of compassion nearly every day and it is a lesson I hope to never stop learning. Being compassionate helps others as well as yourself, and this is why I believe in compassion.