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“How Compassion Changes A Person’s Life”.
Short Story

my life that followed. I am trying to say, Mark, that you

There is a story I have heard many times that illustrates
did a lot more when you picked up those books that day.
the difference between sympathy and compassion and You saved my life.”
demonstrates the critical effect, the act of compassion can
have in another person's life.
Compassion is something you
So, the story goes like this
can develop with practice. It
It seems that a young man named Mark was walking home involves two things: intention
from school. One day he noticed that a boy ahead of him and action. Intention is simply
had tripped and dropped all of the books he was carrying, opening your heart to others,
along with two sweaters, a baseball bat, a glove, and a and action is what you do
small tape recorder. about it.

Mark knelt down and
helped the boy pick up
the scattered articles.
Since they were going Mark decided to open his heart to another person in
the same way, he need. Once he did that, he decided to help that person.
helped the boy carry It was a small gesture and only took a few moments for all

part of the burden. As that to happen, but that is how compassion works. As
they walked, he dis- Mother Teresa reminds us, “We cannot do great things on
covered the boy’s this earth. We can only do small things with great love.”
name was Bill, that he loved video games, baseball, history Imagine what would have happened if Mark had only shaken
and that he was having lots of trouble with his other sub- his head in sympathy and walked on. We never know what a
jects. difference we can make in someone's life when we show

They arrived at Bill’s home first, and Mark was invited in compassion.
for a Coke and watched some television. The evening
passed pleasantly with a few laughs and some shared
small talk; then Mark went home.
They continued to see each other around school, had lunch

together once in a while, then both graduated from junior
high school. They ended up in the same high school where
they had brief contacts over the years. Finally, the long-
awaited senior year came, and three weeks before gradua-
tion, Bill asked Mark if they could talk.

Bill reminded him of the day years ago when they had first
met. “Did you ever wonder why I was carrying so many
things home that day?” asked Bill. “You see, I cleaned out
my locker because I didn’t want to leave a mess for any-
one else. I was very disappointed and felt lonely in life. But
after we spent time together talking and laughing, I real- Akash Balasubramanian
ized that I don’t want to be sad anymore. I would have 6D
missed that time with you and many other good times in

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