Today at lunch, I was explaining to the kids how Jadziu (their great-grandpa) was not doing so well. We were also looking at very old pictures of when their Grandpa (my dad) was a little boy and Jadziu was much younger. We were talking about how sad Grandpa must be watching his daddy stop acting like himself (because of dementia). We decided this was something we definitely needed to be praying about. Each of the children were so concerned, you could see it all over their faces. But Bennett's heart was melting, I could tell. He has so much compassion bottled up inside him.He mulled over our lunch discussion all afternoon. Once dinner time rolled around, he asked me if he could call Grandpa. I told him, "Sure". I heard him in the other room making small talk with Grandpa, but not telling him what was on his mind and heart. Then I heard him talk to Grandma, he tells her what he can't bear to tell Grandpa, "Grandma, please tell Grandpa that I'm sorry that his dad is not doing good." I could hear his shaky voice, see his eyes well up with tears and see the compassion in his face. He would have cried if he had to say it to Grandpa himself. He hates to see other people hurting. He took on the hurt himself.
I recently read a wonderful definition of compassion: to hurt with someone.
We all love Jadziu and hate to watch him and Bapchie walk this sad, lonely, unknown road that is the end of their lives. But having people who love you around to hurt with you helps lighten the burden of everyone.
