Operation Compassion: How to radically change the story

by | Oct 15, 2012 | , , , ,

Submitted by What's Good 206 It was a chance encounter with a homeless man that that led University of Washington student Daniel Nguyen to start Operation Compassion last year. It began when an apparently homeless man, a regular Daniel had seen for weeks, boarded his bus and asked him for spare change. Like many of us, Daniel's first response was, "I don't have any." But it didn't end there, and what Daniel Nguyen found out about Reggie, the man on the bus, blew away his preconceived notions...

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10 years later workshop continues as ongoing support group for care providers

by | Oct 15, 2012 | , , ,

 By Joel and Michelle Levey Some years ago, we were invited to offer a workshop on meditation and medicine for the faculty of University of Washington Medical School. Nearly 70 physicians attended and stayed for the whole five-hour workshop. We were so touched by their sincerity and wish to learn more about profoundly practical methods drawn from the contemplative sciences that we began to host a monthly “Meditation and Medicine Circle” for physicians, nurses, and other health caring...

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Terry’s story: compassion on Seattle’s streets

by | Oct 12, 2012 | , ,

By Amber Joy Terry was not a complainer. He slept outside, did odd jobs for several Fremont businesses and was always willing to help with anything. He came into ROAR, a day center for homeless men, almost daily, for a sack lunch. He would ask if he could do anything for us. He kept his hair short, getting it shaved off when he could... so much easier to keep clean, always a problem on the streets, this business of keeping clean. When I realized that I could cut hair for our clients I brought...

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Report: Dozens Getting SuperBetter. Why Not You?

by | Oct 12, 2012 | , ,

You! Yeah, you! What are you doing this weekend? Why not check out the lists of Scavenger Hunt Quests (here, here, and this post), grab someone—your best friend, your significant other, your kids, or a person you've simply been wanting to know better—and head out into some classic Northwest weather to discover hidden compassionate "gold" scattered throughout Seattle?   Each day, more users sign up to play the Scavenger Hunt using SuperBetter where they set a personal goal and receive...

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You are compassion

by | Oct 11, 2012 | , ,

Submitted by Dee Williams Many people are studying compassion in order to introduce it into schools and other places. Some say it should be taught. Others have won awards for their programs that teach about compassion. Cities are touted as being the most compassionate. I guess this might be similar to the idea that “a corporation is a person”. Are we really ready to get serious about compassion? Even just saying the word may evoke a spark of “something” for you or me. I know that when I say or...

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What’s good? Volunteers in record numbers show compassion

by | Oct 9, 2012 | , , , ,

Submitted by What's Good '206'? Some painted walls, others cleaned a preschool inside and out. Others pulled yard cleanup duty. All told, there were more than 12,000 of them -- people who came out on Sept. 21, United Way of King County's biggest ever Day of Caring and the launch of the Compassion Games. Take a look by the numbers: Total volunteers: 12,122 Total companies represented: 138 Total projects completed: 448 Total hours of labor: 59,737 Total value of work: $1.3 million It was also...

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How a neighborhood rescued a dog

by | Oct 7, 2012 | , ,

Once upon a time there was a dog named Raider… This is the story of how Raider’s needs were met by the actions of  Circle Drive, a compassionate neighborhood in Lake Forest Park, as told in the emails that circulated via our Resource Line: Please help find this missing dog! Lost about 4:30 PM Saturday.  He’s a 3-year-old male chocolate lab who answers to the name "Raider" or "Ray-Ray." He has no collar or ID. A week later: Armand: Please put out to the neighborhood: Raider (chocolate lab)’s...

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Report: Scavenger Hunt Booming with Heroes Getting SuperBetter

by | Oct 5, 2012 | , ,

In the last couple days, the number of people playing the Scavenger Hunt through SuperBetter has doubled! As we end the second week of the Compassion Games, we can see compassion extending out like a rushing stream.   This week we had some great Scavenger Hunt Quests. Quest #6: Find a quote relating to compassion, community, or the Puget Sound area and share it on your activity wall, on Facebook, or on Twitter. Quest #7: Explore the Heart Map and select an organization that sparks your...

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Cascading kindness winds through a neighborhood

by | Oct 2, 2012 | , , ,

By Joel Levey We were touched when a couple of our friends/students offered to come over and help us trim a tree with vines that was hanging dangerously over our neighbors' power lines.   They brought over their ladders and saws, we shared some chocolate and music with them and after a few hours had managed to trim the tree and remove the danger of our neighbors' electricity being cut during an wind or ice storm.   I was very grateful and relieved!  While we were working on the project, I...

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Why Stories of Compassion Matter

by | Oct 2, 2012 | , , , , ,

By Gary Davis Our society is fascinated by entertainers, sports heroes and lawbreakers. Glance at the “most read” list on most any online news site and you’ll find it overwhelmingly populated with articles that are variations on those themes. This isn’t a new trend. But what does it say about the stories we value, or to what we give our precious attention? “People become the stories they hear and the stories they tell,” writes author and activist Elie Wiesel. We agree.  Since most children...

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