Compassion Quote by Betty Smith
““A person who pulls himself up from a low environment via the bootstrap route has two choices. Having risen above his environment, he can forget it; or, he can rise above it and never forget it and keep compassion and understanding in his heart for those he has left behind him in the cruel upclimb. The nurse had chosen the forgetting way. Yet, as she stood there, she knew that years later she would be haunted by the sorrow in the face of that starveling child and that she would wish bitterly that she had said a comforting word then and done something towards the saving of her immortal soul. She had the knowledge that she was small but she lacked the courage to be otherwise.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, 1939
Someone who escapes poverty can either ignore their past or use it to stay compassionate toward those still suffering.
In simple terms: Escaping poverty brings a moral choice about remembering or forgetting.
Key Takeaway
Choose compassion over indifference.
Themes
poverty
compassion
memory
choice
Mood
reflective
somber
Type
ethical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- social work
- counseling
- community outreach
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
social responsibility
empathy
ethical dilemma
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you stay connected to your roots after success?
- What actions keep empathy alive?
A Different Perspective
Compassion can be hard when personal survival feels overwhelming.
