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Compassion is not meant to cost you your body. When care becomes entangled with responsibility, guilt, or old survival patterns, the nervous system responds with tension and vigilance. This piece explores how compassion can remain deep and genuine—without requiring self-erasure.

I recently came across news that Illinois has expanded access to medical aid in dying for terminally ill adults. As expected, the responses were immediate and divided—strong support on one side, deep concern on the other. My own initial response was clear and supportive. And then, instead of moving on, I noticed myself staying with it. Not because my values shifted, but because reflection has a way of deepening what first feels straightforward. As I sat with the question long