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How I Got Lost in the Train Station & Got Compassion I Didn't Deserve

November Prompt: Compassion can work for everyone and at any time. Who deserves it, and when can compassion be denied or a necessity? Share and inspire yourself and your readers with any experience you have had or observed and how compassion benefits you and others.

It is easier to offer compassion to people we know or famous people. However, compassion becomes a buzzword and tricky when we cannot provide it to others who don't deserve it.

Compassion can work best when given or received by unexpected places or people.

I had a scheduled appointment with a client, Nike, on Mondays at 7 a.m. He was a transferred client from a colleague who went on maternity leave. Others chose not to take him because it was so early, 7 a.m. I accepted him because I liked morning appointments, and he seemed comfortable when I first met him.

Then, one Monday, I boarded an express train and got to Grand Central Terminal at about 6.46 a.m. My office was a few minutes' walk from the train station. When I got off the train, my first mistake was I turned right instead of the usual left. I brushed it aside, climbed the stairs, and met the unfamiliar areas. The second mistake was that I chose not to ask for help. It took me almost half an hour to leave the train station before walking to the office.

I opened the door with the badge at about 7:16 a.m. I met the client sitting in the waiting area, reading. Immediately he saw me, he stood, appeared worried, and asked, "Are you okay? I was worried that something happened."

I apologized for my tardiness. Nike's behavior was compassion in action after empathy. I didn't expect that kind of reaction. Although, often, I have well-mannered clients, Nike was above approach.

We entered the office, and he asked me again if everything was all right. I didn't want to take more of his time, so I had to tell him the truth and guessed he could see we were all humans with unique problems. "I got lost in the train station."

Nike told me how he has problems with direction and always gets lost in a busy train station. He added once he spent hours strolling in the Paris train station, he always needed help with directions. The reason he didn't drive in the city.

"Me too," I disclosed. We laughed aloud.

On that beautiful day, I discovered that the "bedside manner professional intensive training" was a myth. I let my guard down and displayed who I was, and my self-awareness responded well.

Compassion can come from unexpected places and unexpected people.

Compassion is an action people show to people in times of trouble and to people they may not like or have something in common.

Recently, Mr. Trump attended the court hearing alone, and no family members were by his side. My partner brought up the Trump solo trips to the court, and we discussed family support during troubled times.

Then the question was, does he desire compassion from his family members? My partner expressed, "The wife didn't have to be there. But if the man returns to the White House, I bet his wife and children will be by his side."

"Yeah, when you want to know your lover, get into trouble. It’s so heartbreaking, however, the man cut the primary root of democracy in the free world. I'm not judging, just my view," I shared.

Why the Nike story?

The Nike story was about six years ago; I only remembered it last month when I wrote a story on compassion.

I no longer work in the city or do that kind of job, but I called my mom on Sunday to say hello as usual as I was working on the compassion story. She told me about a person who needed immediate help. That’s what she does. If she sees a need, she will advocate for the person by asking her children or anyone she thinks can help the person. I didn't add or subtract from what she told me, and she sensed I was not interested and said, Ofon.

After speaking with her, I went back to editing the Almighty Compassion story but had to stop and search my consciousness.

Then I remembered every detail of Nike's story, a test of my compassion for this person's child my mom told me about.

My consciousness reminded me, "Compassion can work best for people who don't deserve it." I called my mom later that day and rendered the needed help.

Six years ago, I didn't deserve compassion from Nike, but he gave it to me without payback.

Who in your family or community does not deserve your compassion? Join the conversation below.

Listen.

The word compassion is a practical service to ourselves and others.

The truth is that compassion is harder to give to ourselves and people we don't like or people who think differently.

Remember, self-compassion matters more. People with self-compassion tend to serve compassion liberally to everyone without strings attached.

Compassion is fun; join the healthy community here.

This story is a human story. All names in this story have been changed for the privacy of the individuals involved.

Join the prompt here.