The Power of Compassion

Siamese Cats, Oil on panel, 50x50 cm 2023, Erica Fraaije

Our habit of immediately checking Facebook in the morning isn't always beneficial. Luckily, my algorithm is tuned to animals, and today I saw a video of someone lovingly caring for a tiny kitten. The sound was off, but the images—its rosy belly, small nose, little meowing mouth, eyes still closed—deeply touched me.

Such a fragile creature immediately evokes a powerful urge to protect. I want to wrap my hands around it, creating a safe boundary against possible harm. At the same time, you realize how small and powerless you are in the face of nature, which is vast and complex, with its own rhythms and rules. At best, we can make minor adjustments from the sidelines, but the rules of life itself remain untouchable.

Yet, that tiny, helpless kitten gives me confidence. Not because I'm personally taking care of it but because I know people will always continue to care. Caring is innate in us, especially in women. Even angry women can care exceptionally well. Angry men, however, are often more destructive, primarily looking out for themselves, sometimes at the expense of everyone else.

Take Trump, for instance. With one reckless move, he can create chaos in the stock market, eroding trust in trade, financial flows, and ultimately our daily bread. Yet, the power of that tiny kitten feels just as significant to me. It reminds us how vulnerable we all are and how quickly careless actions can wipe our society away.

The Netherlands is not a country of extremes; "just act normal, that's good enough," we like to say. Big dramas typically come from America, France, Italy, Spain, Greece, and sometimes Japan. Russia appears fearless, but its fear translates into aggression, like a dog that suddenly bites out of anxiety. We call such dogs 'incurable.'

Maybe we should learn from that tiny kitten and realize how powerful caring can be, especially in this turbulent world. Perhaps we can trust in the 'power of compassion,' I call it the innate 'tiny kitten syndrome' embedded in each of us.