more from the dalai lama

Ordinary compassion and love give rise to a very close feeling, but it is essentially attachment. As long as the other person appears to you as beautiful or good, love remains, but as soon as he or she appears to you as less beautiful or good, your love completely changes. . . . Instead of love, you now feel hostility. With genuine love and compassion, another person’s appearance or behavior has no effect on your attitude. Real compassion comes from seeing the other’s suffering. You feel a sense of responsibility, and you want to do something for him or her. — The Dalai Lama