Courage for compassion

Last week I passed a woman who was carrying an inconvenient load and really looked like she could use a hand. I was on my way to nowhere in particular and definitely had the time to help her.

But I was so out of practice with helping people this way, and I was so used to being in a rush to get to the next place that I didn't pause long enough to offer help.

I was so used to ignoring and being ignored by people that although we exchanged understanding glances, my understanding was too slow to be of any use.

A missed opportunity.

Now I am going to try and build a bit more slack into my timetable. Mainly because it will calm my mind and increase my effectiveness, but also because it will mean I have more time to not miss opportunities for compassion like this.