Compassion Triumphs Over Competition

The other day I had the opportunity to take and exam for a job opening.  When I arrived at the exam location I followed paper signs, clad with arrows, down a flight of stairs and into a lobby. From the lobby I saw to my left a room filled with women of all ages, colors, shapes and sizes, some wearing jeans and some finely dressed.  I figured I'd found the right place. As I began to enter I caught sight of a woman at the front of the room, speaking as she faced the women. I knew I wasn't late, but still I hesitated…suddenly I wasn't certain this was the correct room.  Surely the exam hadn't started early?! I must have looked confused or concerned because immediately more than one woman spoke up and told me that I needed to 'sign in', pointing to the woman facing the 'class'. That's when I realized that the official looking woman was not addressing the 'class' but was on the phone discussing technical difficulties she was experiencing.  As I showed her my I.D. and picked up two #2 pencils I acknowledged my surprise at the willingness of the women to help me. After all, I was the 'competition'!  A few minutes after I found my way to a seat the Exam Administrator went to the door and shut it tight. (That's when I recalled the email which stated, "The exam will begin promptly at 10am - NO latecomers will be admitted.") Moments later I noticed a flourish of activity outside the windows of the exam room.  Three nicely dressed women were rushing toward the lobby followed by a fourth woman.  The Administrator also caught sight of the action and moved to the door.  After a moment of discussion it was evident that the three women were escorting the fourth woman who had gotten lost. The three women fervently urged the Admin to allow the late comer to be allowed to take the exam and the Admin graciously opened wide the door to let her in.  Amazingly I didn't hear one grumble or complaint from the other 20+ contenders. After all, the late comer was the 'enemy' and there was only one position we were all contending for. As the late comer entered the room it was obvious from the clouded expression she wore that she was emotionally rattled and very near tears.  There was a collective, 'aww' - a sort of sympathetic sigh- released from the entire group of women. No one seemed to mind that the rules were being bent for the competition; that our chances for this job had just been reduced by one. The overriding 'feel' of the room was one of compassion - kindness for a lost soul who had - Eureka! - found her way. 
This experience both baffled me and refreshed me as I witnessed the spirit of competition swallowed up by the spirit of kind-heartedness.  I was happy she was allowed to give it a go and take the exam. More than that, I was blessed to experience the sweetness of my gender - a gender that is often portrayed as ruthless and harsh in the workplace. Not there. Not then.  In the past we've been called the 'gentler sex', and that is just what I gladly witnessed.