Tag Archives: empathy

left behind.

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what a wonderfully kind gesture

for someone to leave a gallon of milk and bread behind

to be discovered by someone else who may need it more.

“let us temper our criticism with kindness. none of us comes fully equipped.”

-carl sagan

wait.

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on a tired evening after a long day at school

i arrived for my hair appointment

already ready to be home

 a stylist new to me

was running late

quite a patient person by nature

i felt myself becoming impatient

really wanting to be done and home

and on and on about me

finally she was ready

 we took the elevator and headed upstairs

 thinking about waking up at 4:30 the next am.

   i sat down in her chair

sensing she had been through something

while she worked we began to talk about our lives

she shared things with me:

she can only work 3 days at a time and then needs 2 days off

due to a chronic illness that has affected her leg

(ah, the elevator)

she is one of eight children raised by a single mother

she was a very young mother years ago

she loves her daughter, granddaughter, and mother dearly

she is sharing rides with a co-worker as her car is not working

she doesn’t always have dinner or time for it

this was her last week at the salon

she needed some down time to recover

she would love to have her own little salon one day

she spoke of other joys and challenges in her life

determined not to give up and make the best of things

such a strong soul

 i felt ashamed for my impatience

happy i had waited and not expressed it

i had nothing to complain about

 she was an incredible person

still kind and happy

 still in the midst of overcoming hard things

i tried to offer encouraging words

wished her well

gave her a restaurant card i had in my wallet

 as we parted ways

i was reminded to always consider the other person

wait before reacting or rushing to judgement

we really have no idea what someone’s life is like

i thanked her

so very grateful for the lesson.

“let the first impulse pass, wait for the second.”

-baltasar gracian

 

 

 

out of the woods.

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a bit ironic

that the man who was installing my wood flooring

showed up at my house

on the second day of work

looking rough

telling me how he had helped his friend

take down a dying tree in his yard

only to be knocked out cold and hit in the ribs

by a wayward giant branch

a piece of wood

that did not fall into place as planned.

I suggested he take the day off

to go to the doc or for some r&r

 to come back and finish

whenever he felt better.

glad he took me up on my offer

and left for the day.

shows something about his work ethic

that he showed up

the very next day

prepared to work as hard as ever.

his comment –

” I know I look like I’ve been hit by a tree, but I’m okay,

it’s not the worst thing that’s ever happened to me.

lots of people have it a lot worse.”

 

“as you slide down the banister of life,

may all the splinters be going in the right direction.”

– author unknown

 

 

image credit: travelocity. com

 

missing her.

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when the kinders learned that their classmate

was injured and recovering at home

they quickly gathered

to make their friend a special card

wishing her well

and

letting her know

in their own way

how much they were missing her.

“without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community.”

-anthony j. d’angelo

animal instincts.

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when glenn had to go through painful surgery

and was at last home again

tiny sweet olive

approached him gently

touched her head to his

let him eat their favorite food first

and moved quietly

next to him

at his special place by the window

just lying there

in silence

for hours on end

while he recovered

offering him

the quiet comfort

of their tender friendship.

“besides love and sympathy,

animals exhibit other qualities

connected with the social instincts

which in us would be called moral.”

― charles darwin