When you have no say or influence 

and cannot bring about any change,

accept the reality of what is.

Just as everything that happens to us is a consequence of what we have thought, said, and done, so too what happens to others are their own self-imposed consequences. And yet, knowing this cause and effect is a natural law unrestricted by time, and thus deserved, we still long to ease others’ suffering. Not knowing whether we can, we try. Aspiring to help we just need to bear in mind that while, yes, our wish to assist is the embryonic stirring of our compassionate bodhi mind, we may well lack the necessary abilities to do so. Just as those we seek to help might well lack the conditions for us to ease their suffering. This likelihood of our not being able to effect any immediate change does not mean we do not try. We do. But in all those times in which we will fail to improve the situation, we need to let go of expectations and readily accept that, regrettably, we could do little for now.