Sadness

I must admit I am a fairly self centered person. One day this week when I came home from school I was thinking of only myself. I walked in the front door of my apartment building to an angry grandma. She made me shut the door tight and continued to tell me about all the horrible people that might get in the building. When she finally stoped talking I assumed she would let me pass her on the stairwell. Instead she turned around to me and asked me if I knew Nina. I do know Nina, she is another grandmother in her building. Then Anya told me that Nina died over a month ago. Nina was her best friend and they lived together for over fourty years. In the hospital Nina told her she didn't want to die, she wasn't ready. Anya told me that still misses Nina and she cries every day for her.
It all happened so suddenly I was left speachless.
The needs here are big. Am I looking outside of myself and seeing them?