I have never thought of myself as caring, that is until someone I barely new told me I was the most caring person they knew. She is around my age, but she is very shy so I have never really gotten to know her. Hearing this from her lit up my day.

I have an idea what caring is, but do I really know the true meaning? Some people may say that caring is watching over someone, while others may say it’s being nice or helping someone. I agree with both of these. I know caring is not hurting others or doing anything to bring them down. The dictionary definition from Merriam-Webster Dictionary is ¨feeling or showing concern for or kindness to others.¨

To be truly caring we have to do more than just say we care about someone, we have to show it. We can do this with the people we are closest to or even strangers. I show I’m caring by cheering up my brother when he loses a hockey game. I also showed it by caring for my grandma after she had a major surgery. She could not lift anything or stand for more than a minute or two. Every day after school, for about a month, I went to her house and helped her with anything she needed.

Helping is a way I show I am caring. I like to volunteer for many different things in my community. A few I have helped with are a Boy Scout Haunted House, numerous activities the hockey arena puts on, and baking pies for my church's Thanksgiving meal.

Another way to be caring is being willing to listen. I listen to my friends when they need someone to talk to. Sometimes all I need to do is listen and they feel better. Other times I may need to say some words of encouragement, or help them figure out a way to solve a problem.

I also like helping people in need. Recently I helped one of my grandma’s friends haul boxes out of the house to the garage until they could be moved into her new apartment. Some of the boxes were extremely heavy. There was no way she or my grandma could lift them. I told them I would come over and help. She offered to pay me, but I wouldn't take anything.

I believe most people are caring, maybe we just don't know it yet. Others do notice it though. Sometimes we don't think people notice the little things we do, but someone always notices. I didn't think I was caring until it was pointed out to me. That's when I realized, I am caring.

Works Cited

“Caring.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caring.