--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Frequently people think compassion and…" description: "\"Frequently people think compassion and love are merely sentimental. No! They are very demanding. If you are going to be compassionate, be prepared for ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee2/desmond-tutu-442_action_frequently-people-think-compassion-and-l_2983814.jpg" --- # Frequently people think compassion and love are merely… ![“Frequently people think compassion and love are merely sentimental. No! They are very demanding. If you are going to be compassionate, be prepared for action.” quote by Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee2/desmond-tutu-442_action_frequently-people-think-compassion-and-l_2983814.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee2/desmond-tutu-442_action_frequently-people-think-compassion-and-l_2983814.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ee2/desmond-tutu-442_action_frequently-people-think-compassion-and-l_2983814.jpg) > “Frequently people think compassion and love are merely sentimental. No! They are very demanding. If you are going to be compassionate, be prepared for action.” [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Compassion isn’t just feeling; it demands concrete, often demanding, actions. **In simple terms:** Compassion requires active effort. Key Takeaway Act on compassion, not just feel it. Themes compassion action social responsibility Mood motivational determined Type advice psychology When to use this quote - volunteering - advocacy - community work Key Concepts ethical duty empathy Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you take to show compassion? - How do you sustain demanding compassionate work? A Different Perspective Action can be exhausting; self‑care needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Collaboration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/collaboration/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Compassion And Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion-and-love/) [Compassion Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion-love/) [Compassionate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassionate/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Sentimental](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentimental/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [If we are going to be compassionate, we have to have stricter border security and laws.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-white/if-we-are-going-to-be-compassionate-we-have-to-have-stricter-border/) [Paula White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-white/) > [To embrace suffering culminates in greater empathy, the capacity to feel what it is like for the other to suffer, which is the ground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-batchelor/to-embrace-suffering-culminates-in-greater-empathy-the-capacity-to/) [Stephen Batchelor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-batchelor/) > [“It is hard to draw any line between compassion and love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/it-is-hard-to-draw-any-line-between-compassion-and-love/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [Compassion and love, that's all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/compassion-and-love-that-s-all/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [There are many people out there (me being one of them) who can vouch that animals have feelings; they feel compassion and love, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-goodall/there-are-many-people-out-there-me-being-one-of-them-who-can-vouch/) [Jane Goodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-goodall/) > [I don't know how we can fix a world where people have been so convinced that they are doing the right thing out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-dillahunty/i-don-t-know-how-we-can-fix-a-world-where-people-have-been-so/) [Matt Dillahunty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-dillahunty/) > [You are joy, wisdom, peace, compassion, and love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/you-are-joy-wisdom-peace-compassion-and-love/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [Our world can be moved Godward only by leaders who have shared to a deep degree the heartbreak as He looks in compassion and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-l-duewel/our-world-can-be-moved-godward-only-by-leaders-who-have-shared-to-a/) [Wesley L Duewel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wesley-l-duewel/) > [“When catastrophe strikes compassion and love unite. 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It's about compassion and love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colm-wilkinson/les-miserables-the-book-les-miserables-the-musical-it-s-about-giving/) [Colm Wilkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colm-wilkinson/) > [“The kindness sent from one compassionate soul to another during the time of loss of one held so dear allows the sorrow-filled heart to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-friedenfeld/the-kindness-sent-from-one-compassionate-soul-to-another-during-the/) [Molly Friedenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-friedenfeld/) ## More by Desmond Tutu > [Each of us is precious to God because each of us has their name written on the palms of God's hands. And God says…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/each-of-us-is-precious-to-god-because-each-of-us-has-their-name/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [Freedom and liberty lose out by default because good people are not vigilant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-tutu/freedom-and-liberty-lose-out-by-default-because-good-people-are-not/) [Desmond Tutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-tutu/) > [We shall be free only together, black and white. We shall survive only together, black and white. 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