It’s Wednesday and another chance to talk about Changing the Your World. I’m going to focus today on my second big AHA moment and quote.
Where I Was
Backstory Alert: So I worked your basic 9-9 job. (Not a typo) And I was frustrated with my place in the universe and my hopelessly small part in making a difference as far as Life, The Universe and Everything is concerned. I mean, I was going to grow up to make a difference! I was going to grow up to help people! I was going to…
Yet, here I sat in a job that didn’t seem to make one smakeral of a difference to Life, the Universe, and Everything. And worse yet, it wasn’t even a very pleasant place to be. Boy was I doing it wrong!
Plus, how could I possibly make a difference anyway? I wasn’t trained in anything. All I really knew how to do was work. The worlds problems were all so overbearing and big and well, impossible to tackle. Sigh…
Enter Mother Teresa
Mother Teresa, what a great model. She made a difference. She cared for the sick and so extremely poor. She made a difference. In fact, I think it is safe to say she did change the world. She chose to make the world a better place, and that is what she did.
The she changed my world, with this quote: “We cannot do great things on this earth, only small things with great love.”
Ooooohhhhhhhhh. I took a deep breathe, then: I Got It.
I Got It
Not too far from the “Be the Change” lesson is “Small things with great love.”
I learned to place a higher value on every relationship. I learned to treat challenges as “small things” to treat with “great love.” This was a key moment to changing my life and my world.
I no longer felt the weight of trying to figure everything out and carry the weight of problems I cannot nor will I ever be able to face. Instead I face the challenges before me, many of which are big things to me but small things in the context of, well, the world, and I choose to handle those challenges with great love.
I can tell you, my life has improved since then. And I have only begun to learn of the ways this attitude has expanded the worlds of others around me. There are nay-sayers who choose to remind me, regularly, “You can’t save them all.”
That may be. But at the very least, if I can help as many folks as possible to also listen and heed Mother Teresa’s words, and do every small thing with great love, I don’t have to “save them” at all. They will save themselves.
What quotes have been your life changers? AHA moments?
Once again, a great way of looking at things Mardra! Sometimes I find myself becoming so negative and angry at even my regular daily challenges. When I find this happening, I know I need to take a step back – no matter what physical things need to be done – and either read a book based on my faith or meditate or something. Whether your religion is Christianity, Judaism, Paganism or one of the many others, chances are it can help you in your darker moments!
Sometimes it’s just the stepping back that helps, too!
Thanks Kristi.
Love this SO, Mardra! My AHA quote is Be “Thankful in ALL things” tho I am not the stellar Christian. I get that step back and thank moment several times a day for the small things – and large. But the noticing the small things and being glad for them is alot like loving on them!
I Greatly enjoy your posts, Mardra!
Give Marcus a squeeze for me!
Yes, and let’s face it, thankful in small things is what keeps us “on track.” The big stuff is easy to miss. 🙂
And I surely will!
You know my favorite quote…still hits me between the eyes on many occasions.
Life is a journey, not a destination.
(Substitute a lot of other words in there as well: Success is a journey… Happiness… Joy…)
Ah yes, you introduced me to that quote ah, few, years ago. I think of you and your perseverance whenever I hear that one, because frankly, that quote makes me crazy. I WANT a destination. How am I supposed to know I’ve won if there is no finish line?
Oh.
Right.
She died when Princess Di did, and it was upsetting that Mother Theresa got this little blurb for all the work she did and the news went on for months about the princess.
I know. That was shocking to me too.
Mardra, It is way too coincidental that you wrote this post. Just today, Caiden was talking about this same Mother Teresa quote. What a fantastic perspective on doing what you can in this big, wide world to make it a little better for someone else. Beautiful post Mardra.
Thank you. It’s one that’s worth discussing over and over again. 🙂