May 7, 2000
Dear God, help me always to put my life
where my mouth is.
In so guiding me, thank you for Mahatma
Gandhi’s talisman, which I clumsily paraphrase:
“If you are ever discouraged or confused
about your course of action, I give you this talisman:
Imagine the poorest, loneliest, most
ill, deprived and despairing person you have ever seen.
Of your contemplated action, ask, ‘Will
this help that person, or help someone else help that person, or increase my
compassion and capacity to help that person in the future?’
Answer
that question and act accordingly.”
