Am I allowed to start this thread?
Damini Kane's story came at just the right time for me.
In particular the theme of vulnerability and protection, and the example of one person-- the older brother-- protecting another without any expectation of benefit... just pure, undiluted compassion.
I think a lot of people will have benefited from experiencing that example. Even if there's no one like that in someone's life now, having it defined in a story... that makes it a possibility, gives it a form to measure against and match to. I don't know a lot of people like the older brother, but I finally found one in my thirties, and have claimed him as my best friend for ten years
Turns out it's highly contagious; when you're with people who care about you, your capacity for caring for others increases.
I should also note how much I appreciated Matt Dovey's (sp?) outro regarding valuing one's self and tending to one's own needs.
