Words---Compassion vs Sympathy

Is there a difference between compassion and sympathy? Would you rather be described as a compassionate person or a sympathetic person.

Here's the definition of compassion (from dictionary.com)

"a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering."

Here's the definition of sympathy (from dictionary.com)

"harmony of or agreement in feeling, as between persons or on the part of one person with respect to another."

Furthermore, Dictionary.com states that sympathy is broader than compassion and empathy--which tend to focus on sorrow and distress.

"Sympathy, compassion, pity, empathy all denote the tendency, practice, or capacity to share in the feelings of others, especially their distress, sorrow, or unfulfilled desires. Sympathy is the broadest of these terms, signifying a general kinship with another's feelings, no matter of what kind."

Musings on the letter A

Have you noticed that if place an 'A' in front of some words that you create an antonym? For the benefit of those who don't know what an antonym is, it's an opposition. Check out these examples.

Gnostic Agnostic
Moral Amoral
Symetrical Asymetrical
Typical Atypical
Borigine Aborigine (just kidding with that one :)

Can you think of any others?

Musings on the verbs that can follow I

I feel
I think
I believe
I say
I state
I am
I profess