I'd say that for me it took time to grow... I wasn't born naturally compassionate.... but maybe I did start young Having children really enhanced my sense of compassion too. After the trauma of giving birth it dawned on me that EVERYONE has been a small vulnerable baby at one stage of their lives... even the "bad" people started off helpless.... and over time they have become damaged people. Other "bad" people have a brain chemistry that makes them come to very wrong conclusions and some people were raised so poorly that history is bound to repeat itself when they have children unless they are conscious not to. Everyone has a story. The more I learn about child development the more I realise how things can go terribly wrong. It's amazing that so many get through life given what they have had to endure. It's like my signature quote says: "everyone is fighting some kind of battle". When you walk through the shopping centre and encounter rude and oblivious people it might seem that they fully intended to behave that way but I bet that mostly they don't. The lady that frowned at your baby crying might be suffering from dementia... the checkout chick who ignored your pleasant greeting might be distracted worrying about how she can escape an abusive relationship.

I know many people who would roll their eyes at me saying that kind of thing... but at the end of the day I would rather live in a world where everyone gave the benefit of the doubt and therefore compassion than a cynical world where everyone suspects everyone is out to get them.

I would also rather be accused of giving somebody the benefit of the doubt when they infact don't deserve it than make an accusation and have to told of a tragic reason behind the poor behaviour. I know which situation I would find more humilating and that would be the one where I lacked compassion.

There's not alot to lose by being compassionate And you'll probably find that if you establish a reputation for being compassionate then you too will be on the recieiving end of "the benefit of the doubt" and compassion when the roles are reversed. Some people will always be prone to criticise the deeply compassionate, labelling them bleeding hearts etc... but in my expereince that's more a poor reflection on their state of affairs than yours... and I actually feel sorry for them too.

Well done Lara it starts with a bit of awareness... it will grow