Mercy.

So tonight I went and saw The Fault in Our Stars (yes, I cried like a baby, but it was a good soul-cleansing cry). There was one part where they quoted a scripture verse and it made me think. It was Psalm 23, and when they started saying it, I started reciting it in my head except I said "mercy" in my head and they said "love" in the movie. I've always known that I am not the most compassionate person in the world (and that's an area I'm really trying to work on), but I've always thought of mercy as a synonym to compassion. If mercy and love are synonyms as well, then love and compassion must be similar too. I have the ability to love deeply and love completely when given the chance (and the person is right - mainly family and close friends up until this point, but I know when the right guy comes along, I will love like I've never known possible, but that's not where I'm going with this). If I have that ability, surely I also have the ability to show compassion. It might not be as much as the next person, but I'm different than the next person, so my abilities will be different. 

I can love. 

I can show mercy. 

I can be compassionate.