[ZIZITOPER]

I'm confused about the meaning of compassion and wonder if my Western idea of the word if different from what it means in Buddhism.

I'm currently reading "The Art of Happiness" by HH Dalai Lama. In this instance he's talking about the everyday life of ordinary people and our relationship with each other. He writes: "If you approach others with the thought of compassion, that will automatically reduce fear and allow an openness with other people."

When I think of being compassionate I think of it as being in relation to people who are experience really bad times in their lives, such as famines, serious illness, or caught up in drugs etc. In which case I would do what I could to help, and be particularly gentle and kind. I'm sure you get the picture. But I cannot relate it to my work colleagues for instance, people who are doing OK, successful at work, good social life etc., or my friends in the car club, burly mechanics who are having a great time working on their cars, chatting about cars etc. Sure I want to build deeper relationships with these people and build friendships with new people but I don't get the compassion thing with people who are doing OK.

If any of you could share your ideas on compassion in every day life with work colleagues, friends, etc. it would be very helpful.

Thank you

Mandy