Countless people have phoned and written from all over the country and all over the world -- friends, strangers, quadriplegics, parents of handicapped children -- to say how inspired they were by such an act of kindness and compassion at a time of such unspeakable evil.

CNN: [Abraham J. Zelmanowitz]

But why do such acts of kindness need to be so surprising (and so few in number)?

FORBES: Improve Customer Relationships Through Acts Of Kindness In 2013

Compassion is a deeper and more comprehensive construct, encompassing such virtues as love, humility, kindness, gentleness, generosity, and an innate awareness that all of existence is intricately interconnected.

FORBES: Compassion: The Bedrock Of Our Capacity To Serve

At the same time, we can cultivate the virtues that comprise compassion such as generosity, openness, empathy, and kindness.

FORBES: Compassion: The Bedrock Of Our Capacity To Serve