Feeling For Others

Excitement fills me as I set up my poster board for Expert day. In fifth grade we were assigned to study a topic and create a presentation on it.  The wait is long overdue for everyone to see the hard work that I have put in these last couple of months. The hardest task of this project was picking a topic that would interest me while still having plenty of information. My family members are coming today, and I am so excited to have people come and ask me questions.  

From a young age, my mom always told me I was a compassionate kid with a big heart. She said it always amazed her  how much I cared for people even if they were strangers. “A gift from God.” she’d remark. I was young at the time, so I asked her,

“Does that mean I have batteries in me to make me talk?”

I sit down and wait for the line of kids to make their way towards my board. My friends come right to me, so I sit up straight ready to answer their questions.  They start firing questions at me and I answer them all. They were impressed by my knowledge and so was I. It felt good to know my hard work paid off.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary’s definition of compassion is: sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.  

Most people would say that they have compassion, and that is true for the most part, but to really have compassion for people, I believe it also has to be for people you don't know. We all care for our loved ones but it’s in caring for strangers that is the most powerful. People in the world who have been hurt many times believe that everyone is selfish and only care for themselves. However, as soon as someone shows them compassion their views change, and they realize good people are out there. Showing compassion makes people feel valued and important. And in a world that can feel so lonely sometimes, nothing is more important than compassion.

Eventually it’s my turn to ask my fellow classmates about their topics. I walk around just going to my friends and the presentations I was interested in. I notice a boy in my grade that doesn’t have anyone talking to him and he has no stickers on his board to indicate that people have asked him questions. I walk by him at first figuring people would make their way to him eventually.

As I have grown up, I have become accepting of people. For example gay people are still not accepted by everyone, but I put myself in their positions and I know the right thing to do is accept them. My friend had a hard time with coming out and accepting herself. I can’t imagine being afraid to be my true self around my friends and family. Even though she is a lesbian she is still the same thoughtful person I have always known. I would never judge her only on that and forget all the times she's been a great friend and person. I try to love and get to know everyone. In a world filled with hate, it doesn't seem like such a bad thing to want to put more love back into it. Hopefully, this mind set makes this world a more peaceful place.

I go back to my presentation area and see I have more people standing there waiting to ask questions. Answering one after another, my board fills up with stickers. My classmates’ boards around me are also filled everywhere with stickers. Deciding I was done for the day, I start walking around again. Getting closer to the boy who had nobody at his board, I see that he looks really sad and has only a couple stickers. I empathize with him and I know that I would feel terrible if I had done all this work and have nobody come to my poster. I rush over to him and say “hi” cheerfully. He looks startled, but sits up straight hoping I ask him some questions. I start firing questions at him and he puts on stickers after each one, so I ask until his board fills up. After each question I can see that his mood slowly lifts until he is happy. I stay there until it’s time to go, and he thanks me for asking so many questions. I remember thanking him for being so smart. Walking away I turn around and see a huge smile on his face. That moment right there made me happier than filling my sticker board up myself.

I empathize easily with others and that's always what compels me to try and make them feel better. Others would say that being compassionate makes me too sensitive. I would agree that maybe it does, but I don't think that is such a bad thing. My compassion for others  makes me cry when I read books, watch movies, and listen to music. I can hear others saying, “I am over exaggerating” However, I think I am blessed that I can feel so many emotions.

People could view compassion as a weakness. A quote by Dalai Lama says, “Compassion and tolerance are not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength.”  People who believe that compassion is weakness have probably been hurt a lot in life. To prevent getting hurt again, they only care about themselves and build up walls to not let people in. Doing that may protect you, but it can also make you bitter. Feeling compassion makes you stronger because it makes you vulnerable, but you put aside yourself to help others. I hope that by showing compassion to others, they break down their own walls and start spreading the love themselves.

Holding my poster and walking out of school, I feel more proud for how I made him feel than of how hard I worked on my project. I hope he goes home feeling accomplished and proud of himself. The feeling this gave me reminds me of the quote “Be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody.” This quote by Kid President is a constant reminder of the kind of person I want to be.

Works Cited

Merriam-Webster's Everyday Language Reference Set. Merriam-Webster, 2010

biography.com/news/dalai-lama-quotes-birthday

theodysseyonline.com/quotes-kid-president