I feel as though compassion is a very questionable subject. Is compassion about actually helping someone or just a feeling? In this case, I do more of the feeling part, yet I feel better about myself and the other person if I do the action. For example, I see a homeless person on the side of the road.. do I feel compassion for them? sure, of course I do. BUT am I actually going to give them money when they ask for it.. not exactly. If I have a lot of money at the time or I am in a really good mood I will give them money, but if I am not feeling financially stable or I am in a bad mood I usually will not gift the money. I feel as though my actions, or lack there of, are due to some major components of Marslow's Heirchy of Needs.

Compassion is the hallmark of the soul, and it does not become practical in the survival of the fittest until a person has reached the highest levels of Marslow's hierarchy of needs; self-actualization. In general, we do not always feel the need to extend our compassion to others, in most cases because we do not think they deserve it. I feel as though everyone deserves compassion, and that no one should be the judge to whether the other person actually deserve it or not. It then becomes a matter to whether or not someone goes the extra mile to act compassionately, even when they really do think the other deserves it. Sure, if everyone helped each other out and made sure everyone was okay then the world would turn a little easier. The reality of the matter is people will always make sure to take care of themselves first. When it comes to the times where I do not reach into my pocket to give a homeless person a couple of dollars, it is a matter of me not feeling financially stable; maybe because I feel as though the amount of money I have determines how much food I will eat that week and what bills will be payed so it is human instinct to take care of me first. No, I cannot go around giving people money left and right, but it wouldn't break my bank to give one person I encountered in the day some extra cash.