Great LOVE.

I actually cleaned my room the other day. And by "cleaned" I don't mean that I just picked up my clothes and made my bed. I mean that I really cleaned it - even my desk.

It just so happens that I discovered a stapled, two-page packet on my desk. I have no idea where it came from...I vaguely remember someone giving it to me, but it has been buried for so long that I have totally forgotten who that was or why I have it. It was greatly uplifting and inspiring, however. There are two pages of short bits of wisdom, adages you might say (or at least they should be).

Here are some:

"In the past I was called upon to be sympathetic, which gave me a feeling of sorrow for the pain and disappointment of my neighbor.

Today I am expected to have empathy -- that disposition by which I put myself in another person's shoes, feel what he feels, understand his actions and judge with more compassion.

In the past I was expected to lend an ear to a neighbor's problems or opinions and it was enough to be attentive.

Today I am expected to listen with loving attention, be willing to learn, be humble enough to change if necessary, and be totally interested in all he has to say. I am asked to be objective.

My brother may offend me seventy times seven, but my faith in him should rise to the occasion, give him the benefit of the doubt and forgive him. His knowledge that his offenses have not lessened my faith in his inner goodness will help him gain confidence in himself."

I made certain parts of these bold for a reason. Do you ever feel like we are too caught up in ourselves? Or maybe we are so caught up in ourselves that no, we have never felt that way. But seriously think about it. All of these point to something greater -- the fact that our life in this world isn't just about us. Other people are living in it as well, and we are all constantly coming in contact with each other and living in relation with each other. That's how it is. That's how it was meant to be. So how can we possibly think it is OK to continually assume that others are somehow interrupting our lives, what we want to do, what we have deemed as a perfect day, how we imagined everything would turn out?

GET OUT OF YOURSELF LONG ENOUGH TO REALIZE THAT YOU'RE NOT THE ONLY ONE HERE.

What if Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. or Mother Teresa felt that annoying people only got in the way or thought that someone else's hurt/pain didn't really have any concern for them?

It's a good thing we all don't think that way. Nothing would ever change. What inclines one to desire change? Is it purely selfish motives? How much change does one enact, however, if it is only for himself? What does he do in times of adversity? Who supports him?

True change for the good of all comes from people who care about the good of all, people who believe in the good of all, people who fight for the good of all -- not just people who talk about it. It's inspiring but can be intimidating too.

Therefore, Mother Teresa concluded, "We cannot do great things, only small things with great LOVE."