Albert Einstein, born in Germany in 1879, is widely known for his genius in scientific and mathematical achievements. In 1915, he completed his General Theory of Relativity, and in 1921 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics. What may not be so widely known is Einstein's propensity for profound observations on life and on living. Below is one of my favorites and ties in to the articles about teaching children and students how to be compassionate, cooperative, collaborative and communicative. It is another way of looking at the reason and need for SEL skills.
"A human being is a part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feeling as something separated from the rest, a kind of optical delusion of his consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
If children learn they are all in this together, they may be more inclined to take care of each other.
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Next, and lastly for this series, watch for Rudyard Kipling's poem "If".
Source URL: http://www.pineconelearning.com/Blogs/2014/May/einsteins_thoughts_on_compassion.html