I read Street Watch, a US paramedic's blog, from time to time, but for some reason I missed one of the best posts I've ever read about why people should learn CPR and put it into practice.

You go to work, you grind through the tediousness of the day, and then briefly, you have a moment where your hands have helped return life to the dead. And you think, wow, what I have I just done? It’s a feeling that verges on holiness.

That's only a small part of the post, I recommend reading all of it.