Spread your love everywhere you go

Spread your love everywhere you go

Streets of Kolkata

Streets of Kolkata

A visit to Kolkata is more than sightseeing.

For someone like myself coming from a western, wealthy country, it is impossible to not be affected, even confronted by the visibility of poverty and filth.  Some may be annoyed by it, some angry and judgmental or afraid, some saddened, some inspired to act – but you are guaranteed to be affected in some great and memorable way by a visit to this city.

For me, I wonder where does one start in bringing about improvements in such widespread poverty?  How does a single person make a difference, even just a dent, in improving the impoverished conditions that are so visible in this city?  Does giving some small coins to the begging mothers and children help their situation at all? Word soon gets around, and before too long there are many more beggars lining up for their share too.

It is easy to feel harassed and become impatient with the people who tail you or refuse to leave your side until you have given them something.  And where does it all end?

Boys bathing in the communal baths

Boys bathing in the communal baths

Feelings of helplessness arise when you look at the insurmountable challenge that Kolkata presents with regards to poverty.  When you witness such destitution, it is evident that the small amounts of money that people may donate to begging people and others are barely a drop in the ocean.

Streets of Kolkata

Streets of Kolkata

Visiting Mother Teresa’s house, “Motherhouse”, and the orphanage nearby, “Sishu Bhavan”, puts a human and compassionate perspective on the situation of widespread destitution, and provides insights for dealing with feelings of helplessness:

“Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go.”

Mother Teresa dedicated her life to destitution in India and the world with this approach: “In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love.  It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters.”

Decorated statue of Mother Teresa at Motherhouse

Decorated statue of Mother Teresa at Motherhouse

This realisation transforms helplessness into personal challenge: that even on an individual scale – and only on an individual scale, because that is all we have to offer – we can make a difference by spreading our love wherever we go.

Mother Teresa’s message on life is a message for all of us: “Life is an opportunity, benefit from it. Life is beauty, admire it. Life is bliss, taste it. Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a challenge, meet it. Life is a duty, complete it. Life is a game, play it. Life is a promise, fulfil it. Life is sorrow, overcome it. Life is a song, sing it. Life is a struggle, accept it. Life is a tragedy, confront it. Life is an adventure, dare it. Life is luck, make it. Life is too precious, do not destroy it. Life is life, fight for it.”

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Comments

  1. Wow Marg! what a beautifully written blog. Filled with inspiration and poignancy, I could hear your voice speaking to our hearts. I love this MT message “Life is an opportunity, benefit from it. Life is beauty, admire it. Life is bliss, taste it. Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a challenge, meet it. Life is a duty, complete it. Life is a game, play it. Life is a promise, fulfill it. Life is sorrow, overcome it. Life is a song, sing it. Life is a struggle, accept it. Life is a tragedy, confront it. Life is an adventure, dare it. Life is luck, make it. Life is too precious, do not destroy it. Life is life, fight for it.”
    So filled with power and insistent reminders.
    love and light
    Bron

  2. Simone Winchester says

    That quote by Mother Theresa was so touching I could really feel it in my Heart and I actually got a little emotional. What a wonderful, wonderful women.

    I never take for granted what I have or whom is in my life – I truly am so blessed Marg.

    Thanks
    Sim
    xxx

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