Compassion

When I cam home from work Monday, Angelines told me the following story:

She and Emily had gone to the park.  While they were there a morbidly obese little girl of between three and four arrived accompanied by an older sister.  She had trouble even walking because her little thighs were so big.  The dress she was wearing had a huge chocolate stain down the front.  She somehow worked her way up the slide, and after a long while of working herself around once she'd reached the top, she was finally able to get into a sitting position to slide down.  On the way down, however, the poor thing actually got stuck she was so fat.  Her sister had to tug her down the rest of the way.  The little girl then decided she wanted to swing, so her sister stuffed her into the baby swing (the kind that's basically a box to sit in) and the girl was happy as could be.

After some time when the elder sister announced it was time to go and began pulling on her sibling to remove her from the swing, a drama of tears ensued.  The older girl quickly gave up trying to extract her little sister and began to walk away saying, "Fine! Stay here!  I'm leaving!"  Of course,  you can imagine the reaction that got out of the younger girl, who couldn't, even if she wanted to, get out of the swing on her own to run after her sister!  She was bawling full blast at this point and according to Angelines, Emily was watching in complete horror as the whole scene developed--with eyes like saucers, she was looking back and forth between the two sisters with an expression of shock on her face.  I can only imagine what she must have been thinking.

Finally the big sister turned back and somehow successfully wrenched the little one free.  The girl was still sobbing, her face completely wet.  At this point, my extraordinary daughter stepped forward, taking the crying child's arm in her hands and gently gave this stranger a kiss.  Then, as she continued to stroke her arm, she said soothingly, "No llores, estás muy guapa." (Don't cry, you look beautiful.)

Tears welled up in my eyes.