Compassion is a muscle that gets stronger with use, and the regular exercise of choosing kindness over cruelty would change us.
Jonathan Safran FoerRead
What I've come to learn is that the world is never saved in grand messianic gestures, but in the simple accumulation of gentle, soft, almost invisible acts of compassion, everyday acts of compassion. In South Africa they have a phrase called ubuntu. Ubuntu comes out of a philosophy that says, the only way for me to be human is for you to reflect my humanity back at me.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Compassion is built through small, everyday acts rather than grand gestures.
In this quote, Chris Abani emphasizes that true change in the world happens not through grandiose actions but through the consistent and humble practice of compassion in our daily lives. He introduces the concept of 'ubuntu,' illustrating how our humanity is interconnected, and that the reflection of our own humanity in others strengthens our communal bonds and promotes kindness.
Themes
CompassionHumanityUbuntuKindnessChange
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used as a gentle reminder during a community service event to encourage participation in small acts.
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