A Brief Journey of Compassion

Vinia Majaba
Gain Inspiration
Published in
2 min readAug 6, 2023

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Photo by Matteo Raw on Unsplash

In the tapestry of our lives, some encounters leave an everlasting impression. This is one such moment.

On my morning bus ride to work, I opened my heart to a teenage boy in his school uniform sitting beside me. I could see tears streaming down his cheeks. It immediately occurred to me that he might have lost someone he loved — a parent or grandparent, someone he deeply cared for. As a mother, I instinctively put aside my book, sensing his pain. With empathy guiding my actions, I wordlessly offered him some clean tissues from my bag, and he accepted them with a nod of gratitude.

As my stop approached, I knew I couldn’t leave without offering some words of comfort. I gently placed my hand on his shoulder, whispering, “You’ll be okay.” In that fleeting moment, our eyes met, and I caught a glimmer of hope in his tearful gaze. He then composed himself and sat upright with a sense of calm.

Stepping off the bus, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this encounter was destined. Silently, I sent off good wishes, hoping he may find strength and resilience on his journey. It was an unforgettable incident, reminding me of the profound power of compassion, even between strangers on public transport.

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