One of my inspirations is the late Boston teacher Howard Thurman (1899-1981), a great thinker, educator, and peace-activist—Dr. ML King’s mentor– he taught me how important this attitude is for each of us personally and for the well being …of our world. He says: “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
Those who are alive in this sense look at our suffering world with compassion. Deep inside they know the truth of St. Augustine’s advice: “Look at the whole: Praise the whole.” This vision of the whole triggers an inner singing that echoes on, long after the song of the Christmas angels has fallen silent. Howard Thurman says of it:
“When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
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To bring peace among people,
To make music in the heart.”
Lama Surya Das 