When we look at the world, it is so easy to become critics. We tend to zoom in on the mistakes people make, the sharp edges of their personalities, or the ways they fall short of our expectations. Amma’s beautiful words remind us that there is a much higher way to see. Compassion isn't about ignoring mistakes or pretending that flaws don't exist; rather, it is about shifting our focus from the mistake itself to the pain or struggle that might be driving it. It is about looking past the outward behavior to find the heartbeat underneath.

In our everyday lives, this shift in perspective can change everything. We see it in the grocery store line when someone is being impatient, or in the office when a colleague misses a deadline. If we only see the fault, we feel frustration and resentment. But if we try to see the suffering, we might realize that the impatient person is overwhelmed by a sick family member, or the colleague is drowning in burnout. When we stop judging the symptom and start acknowledging the struggle, our hearts naturally soften.

I remember a time when I was feeling quite grumpy myself. I was snapping at my friends and being quite difficult to be around. At first, my friends might have only seen my irritability as a character flaw. But then, one dear friend sat me down and didn't lecture me on my attitude. Instead, she simply asked, 'What is making things so heavy for you lately?' In that moment, she didn't see my grumpy exterior as a fault to be corrected, but as a sign of the stress I was carrying. Her compassion allowed me to let my guard down and finally breathe.

It takes practice to train our eyes to look for the suffering instead of the error. It is much easier to point a finger than to reach out a hand. But the reward for this practice is a life filled with deeper connections and much less internal anger. When we choose to see the wound instead of the scar, we become healers in our own small way.

Today, I want to gently nudge you to try this one time. The next time someone frustrates you or acts in a way that feels unkind, take a deep breath and ask yourself what kind of hurt might be hiding behind that behavior. You don't have to fix everything, but simply acknowledging the struggle can change the energy of your entire day.