A Conversation for Mother Teresa - Saint Teresa of Calcutta
The universality of Mother Teresa
Greta_9, Keeper of the 4/4 Beat and Deep Sexy Basslines, in a strange condition Started conversation Feb 25, 2003
You don't have to be a Catholic, or a Christian or even religious at all to see that Mother Teresa lived the way we all should live, regardless of our beliefs. Being close to other people, giving it all you have, being generous, being honest, being hopeful. She got it perfectly right. Her life made sense and was not wasted, and will never be wasted as long as people can look up to her and find an inspiration to make the world around them a better place to live.
The universality of Mother Teresa
Smij - Formerly Jimster Posted Feb 25, 2003
Cheers, Greta_9, glad you liked the entry 
The universality of Mother Teresa
BabbitCymru Posted Feb 25, 2003
Well said!
I remember vividly watching the coverage of Diana's funeral on BBC cable in France and feeling horrified that Mother Teresa's death was only a few dull words on the rolling headline bar at the bottom of the screen...
The contrast between these two women - in life and in death - could not have been any clearer. Diana, born to a live of privilege, used her exceptional position and media profile to espouse good causes and did challenge attitudes to HIV/Aids. Mother Teresa gave up everything she had, shunned fame, accolades and influence and put herself in the same environment as those she wanted to help.
I'm not an advocate of the Catholic Church but if there were more people like her in the world, it couldn't be a bad thing...
The universality of Mother Teresa
Greta_9, Keeper of the 4/4 Beat and Deep Sexy Basslines, in a strange condition Posted Feb 25, 2003
Spot-on; what is more important, however, that we have to remember that sad fairytales attract more viewers than quiet endings to well-lived lives. Mother Teresa went quietly at an honourable age; Princess Di died tragically after a tumultuous life. Which explains the different coverage. It was a matter of timing and cynical calculation.
That said, I don't necessarily think Princess Di wasted her life. I believe she did what she could with what she had, used her glamour the best way she knew, gave birth to two sons who loved her, and survived a sham marriage to a man who was in love with another woman, which she had been duped in at an age when she was ill-equipped to be able to tell the difference between real love and storybook romance. She went too soon.
Of course, we could all be like Mother Teresa, drop everything and live among the poor. But how many of us could pull it off? It takes a strong calling. Each one of us is on the planet to serve a different purpose... it doesn't matter whether you're a princess or a nun, just FIND THAT PURPOSE 
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