8 minute read
Harvey Mackay
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Author and lecturer Leo Buscaglia once talked about a contest he had been asked to judge. The purpose of the contest was to find the most caring child. The winner was a four-year-old child whose nextdoor neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently
lost his wife.
Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy joined the old gentleman in his garden, climbed onto his lap and just sat there.
When his mother asked him what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, “Nothing. I just helped him cry.”
Compassion, according to Wikipedia, “motivates people to go out of their way to relieve the physical, mental or emotional pains of others and themselves.” Compassionate acts are generally considered those which recognize the suffering of others and attempt to alleviate that suffering as if it were their own.
Compassion is at the heart of every little thing we do. It is the dearest quality we possess. Yet all too often it can be cast aside with consequences too tragic to speak of. To lose our compassion, we lose what it is to be human.
Although compassion seems to be a waning art these days, there are many ways we can show compassion to others.
One way is through kindness. Kindness should not be confused with weakness. Quite the opposite, kindness demonstrates a basic decency and respect that reflects a willingness to get along even when you disagree. You’ve all heard the old saying that nice guys finish last. Not true. Nice people can and often do finish first.
No one wants to work with or do business with someone that treats them rudely or disrespectfully. The smallest act of kindness can have a significant impact on a person’s life. Funny thing about kindness: The more it’s used, the more you have.
We can also show compassion simply by listening carefully and without judgment. Listening goes both ways. If you want people to listen to you, you need to listen to them. Listening can be hard work, and some people are more challenging to listen to than others. But when you find yourself tuning out what someone is saying you should ask yourself why. Are you tuning them out because what they’re saying is irrelevant or boring? Or are you tuning them out because you don’t want to hear what they’re saying?
Encouraging other people is another form of compassion. Offering compliments based on a person’s character or actions inspires them to perform in such a manner that it invites additional praise. People tend to live up to the recognition they receive. Encouragement is oxygen to the soul. It gives people a natural high.
Forgiveness is another key to compassion. Forgiving someone ultimately makes you stronger. A nationwide Gallup poll that found 94 percent of those surveyed said it was important to forgive. Yet in the same survey, only 48 percent said they usually tried to forgive others.
I don't think a single person can escape life without experiencing hurt by another person. That’s as true in business as every other phase of life. Everyone, and I mean everyone, messes up, hurts others, finds fault, misjudges and acts emotionally and improperly from time to time at the expense of others. It is far better to forgive and forget than to resent and remember.
Showing respect is another way to show compassion. I like to say be respectful or be regretful. Involve people. Ask for their opinions on matters. And listen.
Expressing gratitude and appreciation is compassion. Saying thank you – and meaning it – is never a bad idea. It appeals to a basic human need to be appreciated. It sets the stage for the next pleasant encounter. And it helps keep in perspective the importance of receiving and giving help. An attitude of gratitude should have wide latitude.
Being patient is another form of compassion. The world today is testing everyone’s patience. And we have never needed it more. Patience is an invaluable virtue, but it takes some work. We live in a world where we are used to getting things quickly, including information or products. This impatient attitude can cause a lot of harm – unproductive time, stress, poor decisions and more.
Research shows that when we feel compassion, our heart rate slows and we secrete the bonding hormone oxytocin, which results in people wanting to care for other people.
Maybe that’s why compassionate people live longer. Who doesn’t want that?
Mackay’s Moral: Helping someone up won’t pull you down.
Reprinted with permission from nationally syndicated columnist Harvey Mackay, author of the New York Times #1 bestseller “Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive,” “We Got Fired!...And It’s the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Us,” “The Mackay MBA of Selling in the Real World,” and “Use Your Head To Get Your Foot In The Door.”
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Upcoming Events
SUNDAY, JULY 31 • Central MN Adult & Teen Challenge at 9 a.m. at the United Methodist Church, Grey Eagle. See ad on page 5. TUESDAY, AUGUST 2 • National Night Out from 5-7 p.m. at the Grey Eagle Lions Park. See ad on page 7.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 3 • Folk & Old-Time Music & Potluck starting from 1-3 p.m. at the Village View Apartments, Grey Eagle. See ad on page 5. FRIDAY, AUGUST 5 • St. Peter’s Lutheran Church Pulled Pork & Corn Feed from 4:30-7 p.m. at the Swanville Lions Park. See ad on page 3. SATURDAY, AUGUST 13 • Upsala Heritage Day. Parade at 11 a.m. • 34th Annual Grey Eagle Fire Dept. Corn on the Cob & Pork Feed from 4:307:30 p.m. at the Grey Eagle Fire Hall. See ad on page 8. SUNDAY, AUGUST 14 • Church of Seven Dolors Parish Bazaar starting at 10:30 a.m. in Albany. TUESDAY, AUGUST 16 • Freeport Lions Club Sponsored American Red Cross Blood Drive from 1-7 p.m. at the Freeport Community Center. SAT.-SUN., AUG. 27-28 • 14th Annual Central MN Heritage Club Heritage Days, Burtrum. ALBANY TOWNSHIP • Meets the fourth Monday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at the Albany City Hall. • Planning Commission meets the second Tuesday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at the Albany City Hall.
BURNHAMVILLE TOWNSHIP • Meets the last Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Burtrum City Hall.
FEET FIRST CLINIC • Meets the 1st Tuesday of the month from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at Holdingford City Hall. FOOD DISTRIBUTION • Ruby’s Pantry Food Distribution first Saturday of the Month from 10-11 a.m. at River of Live Church, Sauk Centre.
FREEPORT SENIOR MEETING • Meets the 3rd Thursday of the month at 1:30 p.m. with cards/Bingo/coffee/dessert.
GREY EAGLE CITY COUNCIL • Meets the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. GREY EAGLE TOWNSHIP • Meets the first Monday of the month at 8 p.m. MELROSE TOWNSHIP • Meets the first Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at the town hall.
MELROSE VFW #7050 POST/AUX. • Meets the first Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Melrose American Legion Clubrooms. MELROSE LEGION #101 POST/AUX. • Meets the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Melrose American Legion. (Aux. Sept.-May.) STEARNS CO. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY • Meets at 7 p.m. on the 2nd Monday of the month at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Albany. SUNSHINE CLUB • Meets every Monday, weigh in starts at 8; meeting at 8:30 a.m. at the Village View Apartments, Grey Eagle. ST. ROSA CITY COUNCIL • Meets the 3rd Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at the Community Park building.
SWANVILLE CITY COUNCIL • First Tuesday after the first Monday of the month at 7 p.m. SWANVILLE TOWNSHIP • Meets the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 8:30 p.m. at the Swanville Fire Hall. UPSALA CITY COUNCIL • Meets the first Monday of the month at 7 p.m.
If you have an upcoming event or meeting, please let us know by email: htnews@icloud.com or call 320-285-2323.
Temperatures
Date High Low 7/20 84 64 7/21 84 63 7/22 86 63 7/23 79 61 7/24 72 54 7/25 75 50 7/26 72 57
