By Claire Walker Moffatt
“Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness,
but a sign of strength.”
― Dalai Lama XIV
This quote is such an interesting reflection point. Why is it that we consider compassion which is not only about understanding others suffering but also wanting to help relieve it, as weak? Having the emotional intelligence and desire to even recognize someone else’s experience and want to do something to help takes strength.
Strength comes from experience. And experience comes from curiosity. We must be curious to experience all that life has to offer. And to be curious we need to be open and tolerant of new and different things. When we live our life sheltering in place out of fear or complacency, we become weak in our thoughts and actions.
Being tolerant doesn’t mean that you must succumb to someone else’s belief system. In fact, you can have your own strong values and opinions and be tolerant that someone might have their own beliefs. How? Because being tolerant also means that you can step back and understand someone may have had a different life experience that shaped their current beliefs. It also means that you should take time to re-evaluate your own values to ensure that they align with what is best not just for you as an individual but what is best for our communities both nearby and the greater global community.
Moreover, when we need compassion and tolerance the most is typically when we are experiencing some sort of uncomfortable situation and our gut reaction is to do just that, react without much thought. That’s the easy way out. Strength is found when we resist the initial reaction and instead take a pause and respond. And as a society, bringing compassion and tolerance into the conversation allows for a broader definition about strength and leadership.
It takes strength to include compassion and tolerance in our thoughts and actions. Set the example you wish to see.
With gratitude,
Claire
