If there is a problem somewhere,” he said with his dry chuckle, “This is what happens: Three people will try to do something concrete to settle the issue. Ten people will give a lecture analysing what the three are doing. One hundred people will commend or condemn the ten for their lecture. One thousand people will argue about the problem. And one person—only one—will involve [himself or herself] so deeply in the true solution that they are too busy to listen to any of it.” Now asked gently, his penetrating eyes meeting each of ours in turn, “which person are you?”
– Elias Chacour, recounting a seminary professor’s challenge to him in seminary from “Living Mission: The Vision and Voices of New Friars” by Scott A. Bessenecker
Portrait: Inside the Living Stones
Great, dear David 🙂
Best wishes
Didi
Thank you Didi.
Neither. Let it be.
Well now, that’s an independent track. Bravo!
Great lesson….
Sure is…
love this question
Me too…
This prompted a memory of working and asking the people with whom I worked, to remember in each conversation, “who’s it for?”. How frequently we think we are doing things for noble purpose – how often we are really doing it for an immediate ego jolt
I will try to remember your valuable comment. Thank you for sharing. Hi, David.
So true…
This is great, Thank you dear David, Have a nice day and new week, Love, nia
Hi Nia. It is. Thank you.
Definitely been them all at times, and hope I’m I’m becoming more like the last one in my old age ha 👍🌈
No chance that you were anything but a Saint. No chance.
No chance! Ha 😀
Well, didn’t you just throw down the gauntlet on a Monday morning?! Like Karen, I have probably been in every group, but hoping I settle more in the last as I grow older, even if only to make a difference in a tiny way….
Bam. That’s right. Monday Morning Wake-Up Call.
Yes, there is quite the problem. It is not easy to do something about anything.
Now that’s profound.
That “one” person. They are rare but thank God they are evenly distributed.
Mostly evenly distributed….
There aren’t enough of them. It’s a good thing they’re spaced out and evenly distributed. Holding it all in place 🙂
now that i agree with
Well said!
Sure it…
That’s a bit of a mind-bender. Having worked in psychiatry, I like to listen to people and help fix the issue, or even better, provide them with the tools to fix the issue for themselves. Yes, I grumble about things that are out of my hands and often find myself criticising politicians and those outside the sphere of my influence!
Laughing. Me too!
I USED to be the one who took up the mantle. No more. I realize the futility of so much of it – banging my head against a brick wall of patriarchal resistance, and though I’m still solution oriented, I’m more apt to offer sound advice or button up. Getting too old for this. Which used to mean one could then offer wisdom. But we live in a nation whose elders progressively become more invisible until they are like Ursula’s creatures at the bottom of the sea. Sad, that. We need solutions now more than ever.
It is sad Bela. And we do. And we need more courage…to do and say what is right.