It’s been 20 years since Mother Teresa passed away. The UN has designated today the International Day of Charity in her honor. This is part of their statement:

Charity, like the notions of volunteerism and philanthropy, provides real social bonding and contributes to the creation of inclusive and more resilient societies. Charity can alleviate the worst effects of humanitarian crises, supplement public services in health care, education, housing and child protection. It assists the advancement of culture, science, sports, and the protection of cultural and natural heritage. It also promotes the rights of the marginalized and underprivileged and spreads the message of humanity in conflict situations.

The International Day of Charity was established with the objective of sensitizing and mobilizing people, NGOs, and stakeholders all around the world to to help others through volunteer and philanthropic activities.

The date of 5 September was chosen in order to commemorate the anniversary of the passing away of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 “for work undertaken in the struggle to overcome poverty and distress, which also constitute a threat to peace.”

 

What I’ve always admired about Mother Teresa is her humanity as she struggled to become a saint. She often questioned if she was doing enough, if she was good enough, if what she was doing was enough. We see the work she did and the people she fed, heart and soul, and we know that she was enough. She was just like we all are, unsure and human.

She is a role model to me to keep trying, keep pushing to be as  charitable as I can be. I spend hours every week making sure that people know that they are enough, enough to keep living. I spend hours each week thinking about how I can be kinder to myself and others.

Hopefully, on this day of charity, you’ll take a minute to recognize that you are enough and that the charity you do helps feed the world.

 

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