Certainly anyone who writes like this has a compassionate and merciful heart. The fact is that we are used to “seeing the bottle half empty” (when from another point of view, it is also true that the bottle is half full). We judge and value the other and for the other frequently, especially when the other and from the other our expectations are not matched or when they do not correspond to the reality that we have imagined. It would appear, at least on some occasions, as if we have the absolute, definitive criteria; or as if we are the measure to be used for everything and also for other people.

Feeling the disgust, the pain and suffering of the other like something proper to us is described, for instance, with the word “com-passion”. That is, suffer with the other and for the other. It is another way of saying “solidarity”. This is when we take up the suffering of the other without passing by, or being indifferent; then we wish to alleviate or reduce his suffering assuming it as ours and sharing it. He who is not capable of approaching the suffering of the other, who doesn’t stop and recognize the other person’s suffering as his own suffering, he who is not moved to alleviate, console and remedy the pains of the other, he who does not wish that all, without exception, should enjoy the good, the happiness, life in its plenitude… this person cannot understand that the merciful shall be rewarded with mercy and the compassionate shall receive compassion.

Perhaps we need to grow in these two fundamental affective aspects without which no healthy relationship can exist: compassion (suffer intimately with the other) and congratulations (enjoy intimately with the other). The contrary would lead to not recognizing that each of us is an extension of the others, that we all are involved in the life of the other. Such that when we ignore the neighbour it is ourselves that we are denying. And you, do you wish, search, to procure the wellbeing and happiness of the other? Does your own wellbeing and happiness go along with his?