Have you ever been overwhelmed with compassion or overcome with pity? How were you transformed by the experience?

Joanne's favorite (most timely) answer:
I am overwhelmed with compassion every time I see the smoke coming from the towers in NYC on 9-11. Over the last 5 years it has effected me. No wonder so many can't recover from their loss, the t.v. keeps showing those towers. Enough already!! Let the people heal!! I don't know that I have been "transformed" by my compassion for this event but I do change the channel on the t.v. if I even suspect that it will be a 9-11 story that will involve showing those towers.

Joanne's answer:
In Spring of 2005, when I was teaching at the University of Redlands, I had one male student in my class (the only male in the whole class!). He was a pretty shy, quiet kid, but very sweet and just adorable - a really good kid. He missed class for about a week and a half and then came to talk to me after class to explain why - turns out that his father had unexpectedly committed suicide. The dad had been suffering from depression but they thought he was doing okay - and this student was so competely beside himself as he was talking to me, he was so devistated and sad and he couldn't hold back the tears. I felt so very sad for him, I couldn't shake it even hours after we talked. I don't think I was really *transformed* by the experience in any way, however...

And the other answers!

1. Those are two emotions that i wasnt programmed with.makes me a fair and partial nurse...nah,i'm very compassionate,but nothing is standing out at this moment at a "transforming" level.

2. Oh, my gosh, yes. I have the gift/curse of being an extremely empathetic person and suffering of any kind really affects me. It's been this way since I was little, so I can't really say that I have had a single transformative experience in this area.