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SALT LAKE CITY — Living with compassion can sometimes mean sacrificing time or money for others. But the reward is often a lesson in humanity's ability to share good.
This week, we hear four stories from our readers of compassion. Whether that is accepting two jars of jam for payment or helping a mother clean up after her sick child, compassion comes in many forms.
On having compassion:
Will
"I work as a plumber in Utah County. A few years ago my boss and I were doing a service call for an elderly lady, who lived alone in an old house in Provo that was falling apart. It was clear she lived on a very fixed income. The problem she had was not really severe but it was costly.
"After a little over an hour we were through with the job and she thanked us for getting her plumbing working again and she gave both of us some strawberry jam she made recently. When my boss brought her the bill the total read 'Two jars of strawberry jam' and wrote 'PAID' on the invoice. She was very grateful and it taught me a very valuable lesson in compassion."
On celebrating with a boy:
Terris A.
"Recently I was in the store with my son after promising to get him a toy for a potty training victory. As we approached the checkout, I frantically started patting my pockets realizing I had forgotten my wallet. For no other reason other than preventing temporary disappointment of my son, the woman checking out in front of me insisted on adding our items to her bill. Denying any offer to repay her, she simply headed off with her own bags with hardly a chance to show how grateful we were for making our day."
On going beyond the classroom:
Emily R.
"A math teacher at the high school arranged for four boys from another school to take four girls from his school who didn't have a date to prom. This teacher cooked everybody dinner and the principal provided the dance tickets. The boys gave the girls flowers and everyone had a great time, my daughter included. She had never been asked to prom before and she was a senior. The teacher didn't even know my daughter. It was so kind of him to make the effort to make a fun memory for four girls."
On a teenager's help:
Cynthia F.
"While waiting for my 2-year-old's prescription at Smith's in Noth Ogden, I walked him down the aisles to keep him occupied. To my horror, he projectile vomited all over the floor. As I fumbled through my purse for something to clean it up with, a young man (maybe 16 or 18) ran up to me with a roll of paper towels he had picked up and started cleaning the mess.
"I was so surprised and protested that I could find someone to help me, but he kindly kept cleaning and said, 'Miss you look like you already have your hands full, I'll clean this up.' Wow! I hope my little man grows up to have a heart as kind as that teenager."
Have you seen any moments of service or kindness? Do you want to share a story about something that made your day? Email a brief story (100 words or fewer) along with any photos or video to crosenlof@ksl.com.
