“2015”

(a short by Megan Davis)
(picture- b/c it represents the beauty of light, in every meaning)

My good friend went in for a CT scan last week and while she waited for them to bring her back, she texted me- she said how sad it was to watch little children being taken back for scans and how incredibly brave each one was… I read the text, looked at my son sitting in the shopping cart, and tears sprang into my eyes. I immediately thought of the pages I follow on Facebook of children and their families battling one disease or another, chronicling each setback and each small victory. It breaks my heart, and leaves me speechless thinking about what their holidays must be like. To see such suffering, and to know that it is not rare; that thousands of families are battling something. It’s crushing. And I realize I myself may not be able to do something that produces a tremendous effect on one of their lives but I can show compassion towards others. For that need is universal; every human being desires the reassurance of compassion and the tenderness of kindness. And when it comes down to it, that’s all we really need to give. It’s our biggest and most valuable “present” and, I’ll just speak for myself, at this time of year, I sometimes forget as I run through Nordstrom or Macy’s in search of the perfect gift- I already possess it.

I don’t make New Year’s resolutions because I never keep them, BUT this year, I promise to spread compassion in 2015. It sounds trite and cliche, but at the same time next year I want to look back and say I gave my greatest gift all year long. And in turn, offered a moment of warmth, maybe a little laughter, and a lot of love.

I’ll finish with this- on one of those Facebook pages I mentioned earlier, a 12 year-old boy dying of cancer lay in his hospital bed and said he didn’t want people to be mad at God, reasoning that “just because he didn’t heal [him] on earth doesn’t mean he won’t heal [him] in heaven.” I read that over and over, even as the screen went blurry, and bawled like a baby. His words have stayed with me ever since. Considering his circumstances, what an unbelievably humble and compassionate statement. I can’t help but think he was probably one of those incredibly brave children my friend saw walk past her.

In 2015, I hope to be that brave.