Heart: Filled To Capacity?

Let’s face it—there’s A LOT going on in our World! (The war in Iraq, the devastation from Hurricane Katrina, the starving children in Africa and more…)

Yet, in times of tragedy we have seen many compassionate caring individuals step up to the plate to help out others. But I wonder—is there a limit to our compassion? Are our hearts filled to capacity?

I recently watched a Dateline MSNBC Episode that showed the horrendous crisis in Uganda where children are being threatened and “recruited” as part of a malicious, one-man’s army.

A few days later, I read about the terrible stampede in Baghdad where hundreds were trampled on due to the climate of fear. Then there was Hurricane Katrina which devastated New Orleans.

A few days after Hurricane Katrina, I sent out an ACTION email to our Peaceful Earth subscribers.

In the email I included ways people can help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. I put a link to the Red Cross and also requested that we hold the people of New Orleans in our prayers.

In the same email, I mentioned the Crisis in Uganda and the Stampede in Baghdad and asked that prayers be sent to these victims as well. I also gave a link to a letter campaign for the crisis in Uganda.

Shortly after, I received an email from someone who was VERY upset about my email. The person said that I was “insensitive” to send out announcements of catastrophes in other places when there was so much devastation here in America. The person concluded saying something like, “How can we think about anyone else when all the people in New Orleans are suffering?”

This email made me question many things. One, if we pray for ALL victims of suffering anywhere does that mean "less is available" to those in New Orleans?

Are we saying there’s not enough love to go around? Are we saying that we can only have “so much” compassion in our hearts? Are we saying that we don’t have enough love to give to everyone? Are we saying that some groups of people are more deserving of support than others?

I pray for ALL people who are suffering. We are all one. Part of our mission as “peacekeepers” is to expand and open our hearts to everyone. Part of our mission is to NOT judge who is more deserving of our compassion. We are all deserving!

I’d invite each of us to look deep into our hearts and ask, “Is our heart filled to capacity with love to where we don’t have any more love to give beyond our selves or our immediate sphere?” Or, is there enough room in our hearts to give love and compassion to ALL those who suffer?

© Lisa Hepner
Life Channels Staff Writer
All Rights Reserved

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