I had become wealthy as an art dealer, but my life was never rich until I began serving in a mission and began being blessed by those that were basically hopeless. To see them have hope was the biggest blessing in my life.
Ron HallRead
Most people never really sat down and got to know a homeless person, but every homeless person is just a real person that was created by God and it is the same kind of different as us; they just have a different story.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Homeless individuals are just as human as anyone else, with unique life stories and experiences.
This quote emphasizes the common humanity shared by all people, including those who may be homeless. It encourages us to see beyond societal labels and understand that everyone has their own story and struggles, reminding us that we are all created equally and deserve compassion and connection.
Themes
HomelessnessCompassionHumanityUnderstandingConnectionDiversity
In practice
Example use cases
During a public speech about community service, you could use this quote to highlight the importance of empathy.
More from Ron Hall
All quotes →Similar quotes
Unless you have suffered and wept, you really don't understand what compassion is, nor can you give comfort to someone who is suffering. If you haven't cried, you can't dry another's eyes. Unless you've walked in darkness, you can't help wanderers find the way. Unless you've looked into the eyes of menacing death and felt its hot breath, you can't help another rise from the dead and taste anew the joy of being alive.
Takashi NagaiRead
I palliate the sufferings of others. yes I see myself as softening the blows, dissolving acids, neutralizing poisons, every moment of the day. I try to fulfill the wishes of others, to perform miracles. I exert myself performing miracles.
Anais NinRead
If we can cultivate a concern for others, keeping in mind the oneness of humanity, we can build a more compassionate world.
Dalai LamaRead
The sickness of a family member, friend or neighbor is a call to Christians to demonstrate true compassion, that gentle and persevering sharing in another's pain.
Pope John Paul IiRead
The root of compassion is not empathy; that is kindness. Kindness is great, but it is not the ultimate compassion. Ultimate compassion relieves the suffering that comes from separateness. The suffering that comes from separateness is relieved only when you are fully present with another person, not when you are separately present.
Ram DassRead
For arousing compassion, the nineteenth-century yogi Patrul Rinpoche suggested imagining beings in torment - an animal about to be slaughtered, a person awaiting execution. To make it more immediate, he recommended imagining ourselves in their place. Particularly painful is his image of a mother with no arms watching as a raging river sweeps her child away. To contact the suffering of another being fully and directly is as painful as being in the woman's shoes.
Pema ChodronRead