Compassion and Empathy

Compassion and empathy is something not seen on an everyday basis. Some people think that they understand the meaning of compassion, but they have not actually been in a situation that would make them truly understand it. Once put in a situation where you actually realize what empathy and compassion is, your view on the meaning of life completely changes. Your whole perspective of life changes. Joan Halifax explains the true meaning of compassion and empathy in her speech, " Compassion and the true meaning of empathy". She describes her personal experiences dealing with people on their death bed in hospices, which has led her to understand the true meaning of compassion and empathy. People address certain topics for many different reasons, Joan Halifax adresses the topic of compassion due to the fact that she has been put in a situation where she was watching people die in front of her eyes, and it truly had an impact in the way she looked at life. The problem, or the exigence, is that people do not think twice about other people who are suffering or dying. The smallest things in life that seem like something difficult to deal with, is actually not even that big of problem compared to what others in third world countries are going through. Halifax wants people to respond to her message of compassion, not because its just the right thing to do, but so you can fully understand the value of the life we live. why does Halifax discuss compassion and empathy? From her own experiences of caring for the people on their death bed, and connecting with their families, it changed her life and gave her a new meaning of empathy and compassion. In the speech, Halfax explains how compassion is extremely good for hte human being, but no one knows the true meaning. If empathy and compassion is so good for us, then why dont health physicians teach their patients compassion? Physicians prescribe all sorts of pills to better their patients health, but the one thig