“I’m truly sorry,” I said. “Please, let me help.”
I offered her the job back with no conditions. More than that, I wanted to support her in getting back on her feet. A relative of mine managed an apartment complex with a vacant unit, and I knew of assistance programs that could help with basic needs.
She looked at her son, then back at me. Her shoulders shook slightly.
“Okay,” she whispered.
Over the following weeks, things slowly began to change for her. She moved into the apartment, the company approved a small pay increase, and I helped connect her with community resources. It wasn’t a perfect solution, but it was a new beginning.
One afternoon, she walked into my office. “I just wanted to say thank you,” she said. “Not just for the job—for seeing me.”
She smiled, and for the first time, it reached her eyes.
That evening, I sat in my car, reflecting on how close I had come to making a choice I would have deeply regretted. It’s easy to get caught up in policies and forget that every person has a story. Sometimes, the right thing to do is to lead with understanding.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that kindness and compassion matter just as much as rules—and sometimes, they matter even more.