“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries.  Without them humanity cannot survive.”

— Dalai Lama

As we prepare to exchange gifts of love this Christmas, our minds are filled with thoughts of the people we love the most, those we hold dear and carry always in our hearts.  It is the best thing in the world to love and be loved back.  Just thinking about it makes me feel all warm inside.  But what about the people who don’t return your love?  When our love is rejected, it is a natural impulse to turn away and shake off the feeling of rejection.  Who needs someone who can’t be nice?

Indeed there are times when it is wise to decide not to interact with other people.  We have no obligation to continue to relate with people who hurt and abuse us; but we still have the ability to choose our response.  Can we reason through another person’s pain and come to an understanding of their inability to love?  Can we find the part of ourselves that might respond in the same way under the same circumstances?  This is the heart of compassion — “com” – with, and “passion” – feeling.  If we can feel with the other person at times when our love is pushed away, then we can continue to love — at a distance, if necessary.  We may never receive the response we desire, but we must not let this impede our own ability to be loving and compassionate.

In a world where so many are loveless and feel unlovable, remaining compassionate and loving is an absolute necessity.  As Christmas approaches, remember that the heart of Christmas love is to bring hope to the unlovable.