Mother Teresa's 1979 Nobel Prize lecture suggests that world peace begins with love. That is certainly no new idea and neither is her next assertion: love begins at home. What makes the speech interesting is her insistence that love begins with a smile.
From anyone else, I would dismiss that as pure silliness. However, Mother Teresa's life earns her a second consideration. Teresa says that we should smile even when it is difficult, because true love does the difficult thing.
Now I think she is on target. As I've mentioned before, I tend to be melancholy, so I appreciate the fact that smiling is not always an easy thing to do. Considering the horrors that Teresa saw as she ministered among some of the poorest people in the world, I would think smiling would be difficult for her too.
So after reading her speech I am resolved to smile more. Both at work and at home. And I trust that the effort it takes will also be an effort made toward experiencing peace - maybe not world peace, but more peace at home and at work.
IDEA LEADER: How often do you smile while leading others?
Photo: Darren Hester
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