I believe real compassion is showing kindness and carrying out selfless acts when it is not
always seen but still choosing to create a positive environment for others who are vulnerable and
struggling to overcome hardships and suffering. In fact, true compassion is also when you may
not have had the best socio-economic upbringings or are currently facing a struggle but despite
that choosing to help others who are less fortunate by putting yourself in their shoes and realizing
that you were once in their situation too.
I grew up in a low-income household with a family of six raised by two undocumented
Mexican immigrant parents who came to the United States for a better life. All my life my family
has rented still to this day so that meant having to move a lot from house to house. We have lived
in garages and spare rooms in people’s homes.
At one point we were very close to homelessness but fortunately, it was because of
someone’s compassion that they understood our hardship and offered to let us temporarily live in
one of their bedrooms until we could find an affordable place to live. It was their kindness that
led me to give back to my community by participating in charities such as donating canned food
to food drives that once helped feed my family when we were in need and passing out water
bottles during hot summers to the homeless population. I’ve also fundraised and continue to
volunteer at my local church establishment to serve my community.
I sometimes struggle to focus on my education solely because I am constantly worrying
about our housing insecurity and whether we can make ends meet. The reason is because, there
have been multiple occasions when my father’s employers don’t pay him in full or threaten to
deport him if he doesn’t settle with the amount he is given. However, I don’t let these injustices
and absence of empathy toward my family stop me from showing compassion.
Through my experiences in the presence of compassion by good samaritans and doing
charitable work in my community I’ve learned that compassion is very important to have in our
society because I learned that it can have a positive influence on people’s lives. Practicing this
will foster an example to our younger and future generations to support one another during
challenging times whether by volunteering, praying for others, or simply sharing a smile that can
go a long way in brightening people’s lives by giving them hope that everything is going to be
alright.
Moreover, compassion is extremely crucial in our society today because we cannot let the
negative things in the world overshadow the beauty in life and instead it makes us appreciate the
little things in life. Personally, compassion has been a great motivator for me to succeed in my
academic and professional endeavors. I vow to take my compassion to college and everywhere I
go to create a more peaceful world.
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