Ways to show compassion

[my two cents]

What have you appreciated being done for you, what do you wish someone had thought of, what have you done for others or heard of someone doing?  Big or small I'd love to hear it! Thanks!

[JohnsonJones]

I appreciate the meals my wife cooks for me and the work she does cleaning around the house and the gardening she does.

[anatess2]

Okay, this may not sound like showing compassion but it's still in that realm of service that I appreciate being done for me:

You know what really tops my cake is when we would go to Subway and I could just go and scope out a table while my youngest kid order my food for me.  He knows exactly how I want my sub - how much lettuce I like, how much tomato I like, how much vinegar and salt... he gives very detailed instructions and watches the process like a hawk so that my sub comes to me EXACTLY how I like it.  This is not something I taught him to do.  This is just something he learned on his own after noticing that I order the exact same thing every time we go to Subway.

 

As far as compassion and such that I wish for.  I just wish that someone understand me.  I can't name a single person who truly understands me.  Not my mother, not my husband.  My mother thinks I'm this person... she makes the conclusion because of things I do.  It would be great if she can understand WHY I do these things because who she thinks I am is not who I know I am.  My husband tries to understand me but he just can't get it so he would just say - I support you even if I don't get it.  My oldest son understands me better than my husband does.  Hah hah.

 

[Traveler]

16 hours ago, my two cents said:

What have you appreciated being done for you, what do you wish someone had thought of, what have you done for others or heard of someone doing?  Big or small I'd love to hear it! Thanks!

 

I believe someone is compassionate towards me (and me toward others reversing the logic) that knows me to my heart and core yet loves and trusts me and will defend me, confort me and listen to my opinion regardless of cost to them, against all that would do me harm. 

 

The Traveler

[Guest]

We just celebrated my birthday.  I'm now 102 instead of 101.  My family got me various "typical dad gifts" like ties.  But in each package, was a package of beef jerky!!!  YEY-AHZ!!

[seashmore]

At my part time job today, I repeatedly thought to myself, "I am tired of people taking their bad day out on me." (The past couple of weeks, some of my coworkers at my FT job have been doing this.) I mentioned to a friend/coworker that the person I would be working with for the day was kinda grouchy, and my friend kept doing little, specific things to be nice. Nothing in particular stands out, but she seemed to be making an intentional effort to balance things out for me.

There was a man who moved from my branch before I moved in, and leaving behind a massive toy car/truck collection, all still in original packaging. For three years running, all the Primary kids who like playing with cars get one from Santa at the Christmas party. And there's still plenty for next year.

There was a young, extroverted couple with a three year old and an 18 month old who moved here for a job. Mr. ended up finding a better opportunity about five hours away, and they even found a house rather quickly. However, closing dates were set for about six weeks after his first day on the job, so the couple decided to put him up in a hotel for the time being. Every day, I drove past their house before crossing the railroad tracks on my way home from work. One day, there was an incredibly slow moving train, and I thought if I sped up, I could beat it to one of the crossings. As I passed their house, I saw Mrs. and the kids out on a walk and I'm surprised I didn't squeal my tires when I slammed the brakes so I could park on the street and join them. As we walked to the park, she expressed how grateful she was for some adult companionship after a long day. I shrugged and said, "I'd have to wait for that train, anyway."  She was who I called when I found out my grandma died and all I needed was a hug.

Big things: my best friend's best friend did the labor to replace an entire engine in my car, and his wife let him give up two whole Saturdays to do it. (One to take it out, one to put it in.) I obviously paid for parts and what labor I could, but it was still an incredibly generous thing of them to do.

"My roof's safe shelter overhead"

When my sister eloped, I was left with an extra bedroom. Because of a promotion I was offered three days later, my monthly income increased by half the rent. Recognizing it as a gift from above, I decided I could/should be generous and hosted a number of people over the course of a year or so. Some were able to pay, some weren't. It eventually landed me with an old friend who had moved away from the area and the church. She called and asked if I knew of anyone looking for a roommate, or if I knew who might know who was looking. I laughed and said, "Actually, I'm both." Like a few others, she didn't necessarily plan on staying long term, and I knew she was in a tighter financial space than I was, so I set the price at a little less than half. Three years later, we're still roommates, but I've lost my job and she's getting a promotion that comes with a transfer 90 miles away. She asks if I want to move with her. I agree, she finds a beautiful place whose renovations were slated to be done a week before she would be starting at her new location. She set my price at much less than half.

[seashmore]

On 5/19/2017 at 10:03 AM, anatess2 said:

Okay, this may not sound like showing compassion but it's still in that realm of service that I appreciate being done for me:

You know what really tops my cake is when we would go to Subway and I could just go and scope out a table while my youngest kid order my food for me.  He knows exactly how I want my sub - how much lettuce I like, how much tomato I like, how much vinegar and salt... he gives very detailed instructions and watches the process like a hawk so that my sub comes to me EXACTLY how I like it.  This is not something I taught him to do.  This is just something he learned on his own after noticing that I order the exact same thing every time we go to Subway.

 

That is actually awesome! He pays attention to what you order, and remembers it. That is a skill that will serve him well, especially if he works in food service at any point in his life. (Regular customers appreciate this.) 

My uncle collects wheat pennies, and one of the gas station attendants will save them for him. Every once in a while, he'll get her a scratch off ticket as a token of his gratitude.