Compassion is what you give because of who YOU are...not because of who THEY are.
Unless you find peace within yourself, you will never find it anywhere else.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Many years ago I visited a group for the families
of alcoholics, to try to better understand the alcoholism in my family. At the same church was a meeting for Alcoholics Anonymous and afterwards both groups mingled drinking coffee.
"You're short."
"No shit. You're black."
"No shit. I like you!"
"I like you too!"
Though Nora was many years older than me we became very close friends. She was a recovering alcoholic and oh, what a journey she had been on!
Briefly, after many years of hard drinking Nora
was dying of alcohol poisoning in the old General Hospital. She had been wheeled to the area for those soon to die. Only God had more for her to do and spoke to her. Told her she was going to get sober and help others.
She lived, got sober, and became a very powerful speaker.
One day the Warden of a women's prison an hour out of the city asked Nora to come speak.
She asked, "Can I bring a friend? I don't drive and I need her to bring me, but she too has quite a story to tell."
The Warden told her he would be thrilled to have us both.
So off to the maximum security prison we went. Neither Nora or I had ever been inside a prison before. There are a whole lot of guards. And a whole lot of iron gates. After the massive fourth one clanged shut behind us Nora whispered to me, "I sure hope they let us back out of here!"
She lived, got sober, and became a very powerful speaker.
One day the Warden of a women's prison an hour out of the city asked Nora to come speak.
She asked, "Can I bring a friend? I don't drive and I need her to bring me, but she too has quite a story to tell."
The Warden told her he would be thrilled to have us both.
So off to the maximum security prison we went. Neither Nora or I had ever been inside a prison before. There are a whole lot of guards. And a whole lot of iron gates. After the massive fourth one clanged shut behind us Nora whispered to me, "I sure hope they let us back out of here!"
I was hoping the same thing.
The women, guards, and Warden absolutely loved us. We were asked to come back many times. The Warden, guards, and most of all the women said we reached them in ways no one else ever did before.
I think one of my favorite African American writers Zora Neale Hurston says it best, "You have to go there to know there." Meaning you have had to walk through it to be able to inspire...that we weren't talking "at" them with just words but "to" them as survivors like they could be too.
Anyway it was quite an experience for us both. And we soon became in demand as speakers too. When the Warden told his wife about what powerful yet also very funny speakers Nora and I were, she had us come speak to her Women's Group. Then many of those ladies had us come speak to their groups. Before we knew it we both became very busy doing speaking engagements.
Eventually Nora married a wonderful man who began showing up wherever we were engaged to speak. Soon they were in love and I was thrilled for them both.
The women, guards, and Warden absolutely loved us. We were asked to come back many times. The Warden, guards, and most of all the women said we reached them in ways no one else ever did before.
I think one of my favorite African American writers Zora Neale Hurston says it best, "You have to go there to know there." Meaning you have had to walk through it to be able to inspire...that we weren't talking "at" them with just words but "to" them as survivors like they could be too.
Anyway it was quite an experience for us both. And we soon became in demand as speakers too. When the Warden told his wife about what powerful yet also very funny speakers Nora and I were, she had us come speak to her Women's Group. Then many of those ladies had us come speak to their groups. Before we knew it we both became very busy doing speaking engagements.
Eventually Nora married a wonderful man who began showing up wherever we were engaged to speak. Soon they were in love and I was thrilled for them both.
I continued my journey of challenge surmounting and soaring on my horses everywhere theatres continued seeking my talent. Yet no matter where I went or which hospital I could suddenly be thrown into, Nora and I remained very close until her passing.
You see my dear ones, we just never know what amazing treasures may become ours to hold through the compassion within us we bring forth to share with others.💕
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