Compassion Quote by Betty Smith
““She looked at the nurse. To Francie, all women were mamas like her own mother and Aunt Sissy and Aunt Evy. She thought the nurse might say something like: "Maybe this little girl's mother works and didn't have time to wash her good this morning," or, "You know how it is, Doctor, children will play in dirt." But what the nurse actually said was, "I know. Isn't it terrible? I sympathize with you, Doctor. There is no excuse for these people living in filth." A person who pulls himself up from a low environment via the boot-strap 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 up climb. 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: “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn” (1933) excerpt
Compassionate remembering of one’s origins balances personal advancement with social responsibility.
In simple terms: Remember where you came from.
Key Takeaway
Stay humble, help others.
Themes
compassion
social class
memory
ethics
self‑growth
Mood
thoughtful
inspirational
Type
literary
ethical
When to use this quote
- community service
- mentorship
- advocacy
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
empathy
social mobility
moral choice
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you honor your roots while succeeding?
- What actions show true compassion?
A Different Perspective
Self‑interest can override empathy; systemic barriers persist.
![“[On the Human Soul] While the Bible offers a clear distinction that the soul is separate from the body and discusses the idea of eternal life in a general context, it may come as a surprise that the Bible does not specifically indicate that the human soul is immortal. The postulation that we have…” quote by Brian Goedken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/05d/brian-goedken-38890_bible_on-the-human-soul-while-the-bible-offers_109608.jpg)
