LAST EDITED ON 05-07-06 AT 06:25 PM (EST)

>LAST EDITED ON 05-07-06
>AT 00:21 AM (EST)
>
>EMBTGIRL gave us a good definition
>of the word "compassion" -
>it speaks to being involved
>with the sufferer. True
>compassion generally moves people to
>act on the behalf of
>others. I don't know that
>Christie is feeling moved to
>compassion at every turn; I
>think she's feeling something, but
>it might be closer to
>sympathy. The root meanings
>and the origin of the
>word "sympathy" means "to have
>similar emotions (pathos)". I
>don't think it's splitting hairs
>to note the difference in
>the two words. >

Actually, I think "empathy" is even more on the nose of what you're discribing. But I disagree anyway, I think Christie is indeed compassionate. She is moved to help others in that she is one of the few housemates that is actually open and supportive of the women almost all of the time. She is seldom too wrapped up in her own stuff not to listen to the others or give a word of encouragement,a shoulder to cry on, etc. AND she does it while being kind and without bad-mouthing anyone else.

As for her brother...

>
>If this boy is not being
>taken care of, all I
>can say is that somebody
>better step up to the
>plate NOW. While I
>understand that Christy has had
>issues, etc., I am having
>a difficult time reconciling the
>fact that Christy, a 30
>year old-woman, is lodging in
>a large house in LA
>reaching her goals while her
>own flesh and blood, a
>minor no less, is in
>a dire physical and emotional
>situation.

This is a catch 22. If she wasn't in that large LA house reaching her goals, she'd be in no position to take care of her brother any better than her mother does.

>Let's hope that Christie's compassion is
>more than just sympathy this
>time. Sympathy won't help her
>brother - compassion might.

IMHO based on what I've seen of Christie so far, I think compassion will indeed take over after she graduates and will probably end up taking care of her brother. Right now that seems like a very scary proposition to her, but I think she'll gain the confidence she needs after leaving SO.