Maya Angelou and Mother Teresa's lesson on humility

Sometimes things just sort of overwhelm me. I am having the time of my life with my books, my friends, my dearly beloved devoted "fans," but I do not consider myself famous in any sense of the word. I certainly haven't reached the "rich" status that is supposed to accompany fame.

So it is with a good bit of consternation and a healthy dose of humility when somebody does me the great honor of mentioning me in the same content of some of the people I most admire in the world. Such was the case with a post JoAnne Bennett put up on FaceBook. She quoted Maya Angelou and said that her quote reminded her of me. Wow! If you go to my website you can see the quote and read more about it. I have adrmired Maya Angelou ever since she read a poem she had written at Bill Clinton's inauguration. I had never heard of her before that, but I'm glad he chose her so we could all get acquainted with her.

Another time that I was flabbergasted by a comment someone made about me was quite a few years ago. We were living in Grand Forks, ND. The Episcopal Church was without a priest, and a delightful elderly retired priest stepped in to fill the gap until they had a permanent replacement. Sadly, I don't remember his name, but I will never forget him. One day when I had occasion to visit him at his office, he invited me to sit down and chat a bit. As we talked, he said, "I have met three women in my lifetime that have been a great inspiration to me: my mother, Mother Teresa, and you." Another Wow! moment. I didn't know his mother, but I certainly knew about Mother Teresa and I had always admired her dedication to both God and to her fellow human beings. To be compared to her was beyond my comprehension.

Yes, these are the things that make it all seem worthwhile. I just hope and pray that one day people will say "I knew her when..." and that they will feel that my life has made even a tiny difference in their lives. If it has, then I will be a success, with or without fame and fortune.