In "Morality for Beautiful Girls," Alexander McCall Smith reflects on the overwhelming need for help across Africa, emphasizing the reality that no single individual can assist everyone. This acknowledgment creates a framework for coping with the pervasive suffering by focusing on those who enter one’s life, rather than becoming paralyzed by the sheer scale of need. It reinforces the idea that personal engagement can make a meaningful difference.

This perspective allows individuals to manage their emotional responses to suffering. By recognizing that everyone will encounter different challenges and can only address a limited scope of need, a more sustainable approach to compassion emerges. Each person must tackle the issues they face and aid those within reach, effectively contributing to a larger collective effort toward alleviation.