A Principle to Keep

I think a principle that I would like to keep no matter what the conditions are is compassion for others. Even when times are tough, you shouldn't lose your basic sense of empathy for other people and the conditions they are in. I think this requires being able to take a step back and stand in someone else's shoes to try and understand what is happening in their life. If you can show emotion about other people's situations and be kind to them, it shows that you are human. In The Road, conditions for everyone are horrible in the post-apocalyptic world. When trying to survive everyday is a struggle, the idea of having to carry the burden of someone else on top of your own isn't the most appealing idea. The man in the story is wary of helping others because he has to focus on keeping the boy alive, and keeping himself alive since the boy would likely die without him. However, the boy only wants to help others because he knows that times are tough and that if he was in a situation where someone came along and didn't help him, he would be devastated. The boy has compassion, and I think this is one of the reasons we as readers are drawn to him. Being kind to others, helping them, understanding what they are going through, being compassionate is something I think is important and makes other people feel more comfortable around you. I think it is something people should always strive to be, no matter what their own situations are.