Irish Television Broadcaster RTE has a program called ‘Reeling in the Years’. It’s a program that showcases the Irish history of years back. It picks a topic and gives a reflective account and informative insight into it, to create awareness through music and videos.
Recently, it showed clips of the Biafra war of the late ’60s and scenes of the great famine and suffering of people, very shocking to watch. One of the striking things about the images shown was the rescue of Irish missionaries and aid workers who stayed and helped the people in many ways. Though millions of people died, some were saved by these aid workers.
Despite the activities of missionaries and social activists to create a just and compassionate world, much remains to be done. Many people are still hungry, poor, suppressed and lack compassion.
Compassion presents as a feeling of sympathy over the suffering of others and a desire to help them. It’s an illusion to think that we don’t need each other, that people are not in need, rejected, betrayed, and in different kinds of pain.
Through the wealth of compassion, individuals and societies have made efforts to assist those in need. Many have even died in the course of saving others. Many have been martyred because they were outspoken critics who fought for justice. Many have stood with and given voice to those without a voice. Many have fought against wickedness and for the rights of others.
Sadly, young people have fewer natural possibilities to be compassionate due to so much time on social media. It’s heartbreaking as research revealed that this has made so much impact on their compassionate capabilities.
The traditional code of conduct regarding compassion wants young people to have fewer restrictions in being compassionate through minimal use of gadgets and mobile phones that have made them more self-centred and reduced their ability to learn what it means to be someone else.
We need to fix this and be on guard on this matter, to ensure that children embrace compassion and protect each other with love and justice.
Compassion is the answer to everything in life. It is therefore safe to say that, irrespective of age, gender, religion or race, we all must get wealthy with compassion.
✍️ Amara Ann Unachukwu.
