Deja Vu Blogfest: “Compassion”

We’re taking part in the Deja Vu Blogfest this weekend. This hop is the brainchild of DL Hammons, who also runs Blog Blitz. The rules of this hop are simple, pick a post from the last 12 months and reblog it.

 

This post was originally run in February 2015 as part of 1000 Voices Speak for Compassion.  You can learn more about this movement on the founder’s website:  http://yvonnespence.com/.

Compassion. How can we expect a single word to sum up everything that’s admirable about humanity? And yet, this one does. It transcends age, gender, religion, nationality and race. When we strive to live lives rich with compassion, it forces us to reach deep inside ourselves and tap the brightest parts of our souls.

Writers use words as tools. We heat them with our enthusiasm, and we hammer them together with our zeal, and in the end we craft them into prose. The product of our handiwork often becomes more valuable to us than gold.

For the best of us, the writers that will go down in history and remain relevant and read for decades to come, pounding out words produces something remarkable. These special writers use ink to explore the human condition, and they do it with the precision of surgeons. They root out the social cancers and expose bigotry and hate. They whittle on a government’s carcass until the corrupt skeleton is bare for all to see. They carve a path into our hearts, forcing us to reflect on the painful and the profound. Then with more words, these writers mend and reconstruct our hearts, leaving us empowered, enlightened and hopeful.

In the safety of a gifted writer’s embrace, I learned to care about people I will never meet. I found the strength to forgive people who judged me by my gender and ethnicity. I became a better mother, wife and person, with more love, respect and compassion to give others as the legacy of another writer’s words. And I am grateful.

I don’t think every writer is meant to create world-changing literary magic. I suspect I’m not, but I sleep better each night knowing that members of my brethren are up to the challenge. I have faith a new writer somewhere is gathering their tools and forging a message so powerful, that my children’s children will treasure it more than gold. That faith fills me with joy, and makes me proud to be a writer.

Author: Robin Rivera

Robin trained as a professional historian and worked as a museum curator, educator, and historical consultant. She writes mystery fiction, with diverse characters and a touch of snark. She's currently working on two new manuscripts that started off as NaNoWriMo projects. You can follow her on Facebook(https://www.facebook.com/robin.rivera.90813). However, Pinterest (https://www.pinterest.com/RRWrites/) is where her inner magpie is happiest of all.

22 thoughts on “Deja Vu Blogfest: “Compassion””

  3. Aw. I thought I had read this one but, apparently, I hadn’t. Maybe you did another 1000 Speak… ? Either way, so glad you reposted it. Happy Holidays. 🙂

    Reply

  5. I’ve read several articles here lately about how reading makes you a better person: teaching you compassion and empathy. I had not considered that writing does the same thing, only moreso. Excellent post. So glad you chose it for Deja Vu.

    Reply

    1. Hi Samantha,
      I suspect it comes down to thinking critically. Some people process information and emotions best as readers, and others as writers. Some people, like me, need a bit of both to get the job done. Thanks for dropping by and Happy Holidays!

      Reply

  10. This definitely deserved a second helping…and a third…and a fourth…:) If only more people would put that word to use…and mean it. It seems to be on short supply, especially during election years.

    Thank you for taking part in my blogfest!

    Reply

    1. Sorry about getting the post up late, today has been a bad day! You’re right about election years, that’s when we need all the compassion (and thoughtful writers) we can get.
      Thank you! We love taking part in this hop and in Blog Blitz. Maybe next year one of us will take a swing at your Write Club challenge.

      Reply

    1. Thank you! Heather and I went back and forth! We just couldn’t pick a post we both liked. Last night we finally remember this one, and we both thought it would be a nice one to use. I’m glad you like it. Merry Christmas!

      Reply

    1. Hi Tracey,
      Thank you! Such kind words about the post, and the blog in general. If we can help just one writer not make all the same mistakes we made, we are thrilled! Happy Holidays! See you in 2016. It’s going to be a fantastic year!

      Reply

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