One Person At A Time

I've long observed that the people who inspire me the most are those who are driven by a sense of purpose that transcends personal gain. Jesus of Nazareth and Mahatma Gandhi, are two such figures for me.

A third person who I deeply admire is boxing champion, Muhammad Ali, who clearly fought for something beyond himself. To those who knew him, it was exceedingly clear that he was not driven by money, fame, or personal glory.

In multiple interviews, Ali explained that he had to be prolific at his craft in order to have people listen to what he had to say: "You don't really lose when you fight for what you believe in. You lose when you fail to fight for what you care about."

Key reflections from the back half of Ali's book, The Soul of a Butterfly:

"There comes a time in every person's life when he has to choose the course his life will take. On my journey I have found that the path to self-discovery is the most liberating choice of all.

"There is a door to the heart of every man; it is either open or closed. When we value material things more than we value the well-being of mankind, the door to the heart is closed. When we are decent to others and share ourselves through kindness and compassion, the door to the heart is open. The greatest truth in life is that the happiness and peace of each can be reached only through the happiness and peace of all."

I would echo Ali's thoughts, and would only add this:

In my experience, it is more fruitful and fulfilling to devote ourselves to being a source of love and encouragement to one person at a time rather than try to have a positive impact at a greater scale.

I have much gratitude for the teachings of Jesus, Gandhi, and others. But the actual people I carry in my heart wherever I go are those who I felt at one point or another deeply cared about me and wanted to see me be healthy and fulfilled. I want to be this person for a handful of others I have the privilege of connecting with over my lifetime.

Sending love to all,

Ben