Definition Of Compassion

My definition of compassion is when you are willing to help another being in need without the expectation or intent to receive anything in return. I was privileged to grow up with a mother that was very compassionate and caring, and from an early age she showed me that true compassion is giving without selflessness. I often find myself doing things out of compassion from day to day such as holding the door open for someone if I spot them trailing close by behind me. However in these same instances, I find myself getting offended when the person walks through the door without expressing their gratitude with a thankyou or at least a smile. While planning how I was going to participate in my day of compassion I set out to be as helpful, genuine, and caring as I …show more content…
Unfortunately I didn’t get the ideal seating placement but I did notice that I received a lot of smiles and friendly looks when I started letting people get by me to find their seats. Towards the end of my day of compassion I came in contact with a grumpy cashier while buying groceries. I was with my roommate and let her pay for her purchases first. Unfortunately my roommate had technical difficulties with her card which caused the cashier to become extremely frustrated and impatient. Once it was time for me to pay for my purchases I noticed the store clerk was still in a bad mood. So instead of paying with my card I paid with exact change to make the process go buy easier for her and I made sure that I spoke to her in a friendly, cheery tone. Her mood immediately turned around in seconds and she even began to offer me extra coupons. Before participating in this day of compassion I always considered myself to be a very compassionate and thoughtful person. However this experiment really made me realize how many actions of mine are actually self-motivated and