Be the one who cares entirely too much.

Be the one who is willing to drop everything for someone when they need you.

The one who will drive across town in the pouring rain just to talk to someone through that rough patch, clad with a box of Krispy Kreme and a smile.

The one who doesn’t bat an eye at helping with that paper monster of a paper, helping to fight the clock to make sure it’s done before midnight.

I promise it doesn’t make you weak.

Be the one who cares for people that they don’t even know.

The one who cries when they see another life taken in the news, hearts aching in mourning with families they have never met.

The one who gets the knot in their stomach anytime they see a family on the side of the road huddled in torn blankets in the December frost.

I promise that doesn’t make you soft.

Be the one who is willing to forgive when they’ve been hurt.

The one who is willing to forgive all the harsh words exchanged from in a heated moment with that friend, ready to tackle dinner together or a trip to the mall.

The one who doesn’t talk down about that one person regardless if they broke your heart, ignored you, or made you feel like you weren’t enough, because at the end of the day you know that they’re human too.

I promise you’re not letting them walk all over you.

Why?

Because at the end of the day it’s not a crime to give a little piece your heart in everything you do.

To be entirely honest, I think it’s the most valiant thing we can do, really. I refuse to believe that it’s a bad thing to have faith in humanity, to care about others, and not expect anything in return.

We're told to "play it cool" and not care too much, and if we do, we should expect something in return. We're told not to show compassion in situations that "have nothing to do with us," because that's making it about ourselves. We're told that our forgiveness should could with strings, and that we should stifle it at all costs. But I beg you to throw these misconceptions to the wind.

Regardless of these odd-ended-opinions of society that denounce acts of compassion, choose to care about others fearlessly. You're not weak, soft, or inferior for doing so. Because the truth is we loose nothing when we show compassion, but we have so much to gain from it. Be the one who cares too much, because to be quite honest, there is no such thing.

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ God forgave you." Ephesians 4:32