Driving to work recently I was stuck behind a utility truck. Below the panel of lights on the back of the vehicle was a sign “Pass with Care”. Only a few moments later I passed a rubbish truck and again observed on the bumper the sign “Pass with Care”.
Of course the meaning‘s obvious – pass this vehicle carefully – exercise due caution as you pull out and go past. But being something of a language nerd I couldn’t help think of the other definitions of the word care.
Originally care came from the Old English and Old German words meaning lament or grieve, sorrow or sympathy and even now the word can refer to an object of concern or a feeling of anxiety, “carrying the cares of the world”, for example.
Care can refer to affection and concern or looking after someone – as a mother cares for her children. An abandoned child can be committed into foster care. When we’re saying goodbye to someone we care about we’ll often tell them to “take care!”.
When you add together all the various meanings of care, the idea of “passing with care” becomes rich and interesting. It reminds me of the famous quote from French quaker missionary Stephen Grellet…
“I shall pass through this world but once.
Any good, therefore, that I can show to any human being,
let me do it now.
Let me not defer nor neglect it,
for I shall not pass this way again.”
~~Stephen Grellet~~1773 – 1855
Today (Thursday 5th) is TEAR Fund’s Compassion Day – a special fund raising day when we go all out to sign up more child sponsors. A good synonym for compassion, according to my on-line Thesaurus, is care, especially when you combine the aspects of sympathy, affection and looking after.
So don’t let this day, with its opportunity to do something wonderful for a child in tremendous need, pass by carelessly. Pass through this day with care. Pass Lent with care. As much as you can, throughout your life, pass with care.
If you would like to sponsor a child through TEAR Fund, call us on 0800 800 777
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