Compassion comes from two Latin words: com, meaning with, and passio, to bear or suffer—literally to suffer with those who are hurting. The pain referred to may be physical, emotional, or spiritual. Compassion calls upon us to look beyond our own situation to recognize the pain of another and to invest of ourselves to render comfort. This giving of ourselves opens our hearts to those around us and often benefits us as well as the person receiving our investment.

Like most traits, the best way to foster compassion in our children is to be good role models ourselves. Ask yourself daily if you’ve treated people with kindness and respect in every situation.

Sometimes when we see a person who needs help, we don’t stop because we think someone else will. Other times, we simply don’t want to get involved. But just imagine what our world would be like if everyone took this attitude.

In Nature
Zebras live together in herds and they care for one another. When a zebra is sick or injured, the entire herd slows down to accommodate the ailing member. When predators threaten a group of zebras, they illustrate compassion by gathering the youngest or weakest animals in the center of the herd while the strong stallions ward off the attackers.

The Oklahoma City Zoo recently celebrated the birth of a Grevy zebra named Zari. She will be four months old this month and is currently on display with her mother at the Grevy’s zebra habitat. Zebras’ distinctive stripe patterns are unique to each animal, much like fingerprints are unique to each human. Grevy zebras are the largest of the three zebra species and can weigh up to 900 pounds. They are native to northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia. The Grevy zebra is considered endangered as only some 2,200 still remain in the wild. Four of these rare animals call the Oklahoma City Zoo home.

Teachable Moments
This month, challenge your family members to become CIA (Compassion in Action) agents. Look for ways to show compassion at home, at school, or at work. For ideas in building compassion, visit HelpOthers.org. The site has smile cards that may be downloaded and left behind to explain anonymous acts of kindness. The site also allows visitors to share stories of kindness and offers hundreds of ideas for making compassion a part of everyday life.

Recruit your children to make a thoughtful card for a friend or family member this month. You don’t need an occasion or an excuse to stay in touch, and words of love that arrive spontaneously are often more special.

Read About Compassion
•    Author Zoe Weil offers compassion-building tips for parents in Above All, Be Kind: Raising a Humane Child in Challenging Times.

•    The children’s book One Smile by Cindy McKinley illustrates the ripple effect compassion can have when a young girl shares a smile with a man who is feeling down.
 
•    Pay It Forward was a 2000 movie based on the novel by the same title by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Both tell the story of Trevor, a 12-year-old boy who decides he can make the world a better place by helping people and asking them to help others in return.

Putting Character First
The Character First! Project is inspired by the work of the Character Training Institute, a non-profit organization based in Oklahoma City. Character First! information is used by permission. Call 405-815-0001 for Character First! resources or visit CharacterFirst.com.

Learn about our March 2008 Spotlight on Character Winners here.

Gayleen Rabakukk is a freelance writer who spends her time in Edmond keeping up with her teenage and preschool daughters. She holds a BA in journalism from the University of Central Oklahoma and is a regular contributor to MetroFamily Magazine.