Two women of compassion.

Example one.
We are on a four week trip to visit our son and family in Edinburgh, Scotland. On a thirteen hour flight sitting next to us was an elderly woman nearly in her eighties. She seemed to be still in good health and quite fit. We learned that she had been a nurse in an emergency ward for much of her working life. Of course on such a long flight the subject of coping with the flight comes up. My wife told her that our doctor had given us a sleeping pill we could take to help us sleep to make the flight easier. This elderly lady said that she had thought of that option and was indeed offered it, but she chose not to. She gave her reason. “I recognise that I have skills that could be helpful in an emergency on the plane. If I had a sleeping pill and something happened I would not be at my best.” When my wife told me of this conversation I was full of admiration. At nearly eighty, this woman still felt a responsibility to be there for others if it was necessary. - I thought it was a pretty cool attitude to have.
Second example.
We headed from Dunedin, NZ to Auckland in the early evening of a Monday. At about midnight we flew from Auckland to Singapore, about a ten hour flight. We arrived at about 7 a.m. local time. We were transported to our hotel, and after a bit of a rest we explored a bit of the city. Later in the evening we went to bed. We were wakened in the night by construction work carrying on during the night on the building opposite. (A massive mobile crane working) The next day we explored Singapore again, with an afternoon visit to the Gardens by the Bay. After tasting the local food for dinner, at 10 p.m. we travelled to the airport, waiting to catch a plane to London. Going through security my wife’s carry on luggage was held up. She was taken aside and little steel nail clippers were found. I was then led away for my luggage to be checked more thoroughly. Then the woman checking me asked, “Where is your wife.” “I don’t know!” I snapped at her, “That guy took her away!” We were reunited and the offending nail clippers confiscated. We comforted each other by saying, at least we should be happy they are keeping the plane safe.
We took off at around 2a.m. headed for London, arriving there at about 8 a.m. London time after 13 hours. We stopped for coffee at Heathrow airport, and really tired now, found the bus centre, and caught the appropriate bus for the one and a half hour trip to Stanstead Airport. It was crowded with heaps of people passing through and poor facilities for the numbers it was coping with. Finally we got through security and had to rush down a long walk way to find gate 84. People pushed passed us. I was getting cranky. At one stage a guy rushed past me shoving my shoulder and I found myself lifting my hand in annoyance, wanting to shove him back.... but I resisted... just. My wife, who gets easily short of breathe was puffing and red faced. We arrived in the que before they shut the gate. Jean wiped the sweat from her brow. I looked at her, she was completely exhausted, standing there puffing. But she was distracted. A young father looking after a baby and a young boy was just ahead, Jean was smiling at the boy. We went through the gate and waited yet again in a stairway leading to the tarmac and our plane. The young father was trying to strap his baby girl into a car seat, hold on to his luggage and keep his adventurous son close by. My wife seeing his predicament engaged the boy in friendly chatter, and smiled and chatted with the little girl. Then looking at the young father asked, “How are you going to manage? Will you need help? We could help?” “Whaaat?” I said under my breathe, “We are going to be struggling to get you up the steps to the plane!” The young man said he had it all worked out, but my wife continued to offer our help. “Just yell if you need us.” We got on the plane and I found myself helping the little boy find row 21. As I settled in my seat I could not help but admire my wife. 70 years old, exhausted after days travelling, with very little sleep, and physically drained, she was still filled with compassionate empathy for this young man and his children. I, on the other hand, was just focused on me and the crowds were just a nuisance. She is the real deal, compassionate when the going gets tough.