When I think of compassion, I think of my grandmother. She spent her life serving others even though she suffered from severe depression and anxiety. My grandmother was associated with grief and pain, but she still served. When I was a girl, I loved spending the day with her. If it was Tuesday morning, my grandma got on her black rotary phone and called the people on her Tuesday list to check on them. If it was Friday, she called the people on her Friday list. She would assess their needs, and then we would spend the afternoon visiting the people she felt needed a visit. We made food to take out after she got off the phone. I helped carry the food to people and learned to sit and listen to their conversation. They often said kind things to me and had a way of making me feel good. I treasure the experiences now. I loved my grandmother and have been forever changed by her example. Compassion was a way of life for her. Parents and grandparents can be an example of how to be compassionate in meaningful ways.
Sherene Van Dyke, Spring City, Utah