Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Filling the World with Love


photo by Ann Howell Brown, 2009

Rajasthan, India, by Ann Howell Brown, 2009

India, by Ann Howell Brown, 2009

Quote by Mother Teresa

Looking through old journals and photo albums from India recently, I came across some words spoken by Mother Teresa that I had written down, and that have profoundly affected my mindset about what a career is (or should be):

***

"To the cast of a musical performance in Calcutta, I said: your work and our work complete each other. What we are doing is needed in the world as never before. You are giving them joy by your action, and we are doing the same by service. And it is the same action whether you are singing and dancing and we are rubbing and scrubbing. You are filling the world with the love God has given you.

[Mother Teresa]

India, by Ann Howell Brown, 2009

I love this mindset, because it stops you from thinking too much about your sense of obligation, duty, or guilt, and frees your mind to focus on identifying, strengthening, and acting on the particularly wonderful, unique, powerful set of blessings and talents you've received.

Because, at the end of the day, sharing those talents is how you're going to spread the most love around this crazy world, right? Not by doing what you feel obligated to do, but by doing what you were put on this very earth to do, since you've already been given everything you need to make it happen.

PS - shouldn't we all take a cue from the Missionaries of Charity and paint "God Bless You" on our car/truck bumpers?

India, by Ann Howell Brown, 2009

Photo taken by Ann Howell Brown in India, 2009

Photo taken by Ann Howell Brown in India, 2009

As always, more photos on Tumblr and Instagram. :)

[Photos taken by Ann Howell Brown in India, 2009.]

No comments:

Post a Comment