Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa helping the poor children in Calcutta.www.biography.com

“I think origin stories show us not how to become super but how to be heroes, choosing altruism over the pursuit of wealth and power” (Rosenberg). The author of the magazine article, “The Psychology Behind Superhero Origin Stories,” Robin Rosenberg demonstrates how the origin stories of superheroes set the guidelines for what a hero should be. He indicates that a hero is someone “who choses altruism over the pursuit of wealth and power” (Rosenberg). Altruism is the selfless concern for the well-being of others, and it is what causes superheroes to inspire many people. A superhero’s unwavering will to make our society better, or their altruism, is what allows them to be held so highly in our society. In today’s society, corruption is common and widespread. Superheroes show us how to overcome the corruption infecting our lives. What makes a superhero so astonishing and mighty is reflective of what qualities are considered heroic in any ordinary person. A modern problem we face today is that we lack the abilities to be selfless and work with others to benefit the community. Instead, we rely on technology and the Internet to connect with those around us and our community. Humans tend to disregard how important it is to take time out of their busy schedules to give back to those in need. Heroes show what one can be if they put in time and effort to reach their full potential. Heroes have the power to connect with others and spread love, joy and a common message to do good for the world and for the community. Heroes are those who sacrifice their own lives to help those in need and benefit the lives of others. They have the ability to stand up for what is right and to lead others toward the light in times of dark. Heroes are those who inspire us to do the right things, spark a change, and show kindness and compassion to all. To be able to care for everyone, no matter what and be able to put the needs of others before one’s own are extraordinary feats which shape and define heroes in modern day society.

The good in the hearts of heroes is why they play such a huge role in our lives. They prove to us that doing the right thing can bear its consequences, but the consequences are always overshadowed by the rewards. Heroes show us that doing the right thing once can start a chain reaction, and this allows kindness and love to spread. Mother Teresa was one of those who strived to do good and help those in need, allowing her to make a huge impact on the world. Mother Teresa was born in Skopje, Yugoslavia on August 27, 1910. She lived with her parents and siblings and grew up in a Christian family, which sparked a deep connection with God. Mother Teresa left her home at the age of 18 to join the Sisters of Loretto and serve God as a nun. She worked as a high school teacher in Calcutta, but after seeing the poor suffering around her she decided to work directly with the impoverish. She started with no funds and eventually, gained support and was able to start her own group, the Missionaries of Charity. Mother Teresa helped the poor and sick not only in Calcutta, but also in several other countries around the world. She brought change and warmth to the lives of every soul who she touched, and even those whom she didn’t. She demonstrated several heroic qualities. She gave up her life for the poor and dedicated her life to showing compassion and care to those who needed it the most. Mother Teresa’s ability to give up her life to benefit the community and show compassion and love to each and every individual are what live on through her legacy and continue to inspire so many till date.

Mother Teresa helping poor and men in the streetswww.nytimes.comMother Teresa’s selflessness and ability to give up basic necessities to help others, prove that in order to help others compromise and selflessness are necessary. Mother Teresa and her fellow nuns took vows to live in poverty to show understanding for those they worked with: “Another journalist who visited her in Calcutta found that her own accomodations consisted of a small room furnished with single bed, a simple wooden table, and a bucket for washing herself. Despite temperatures as high as 113°, there was not even a small fan. Indeed, there was only one small fan in the whole building”(Commire). Commire uses imagery to describe just how simple Mother Teresa’s living conditions were. Her room is described as sparsely furnished with few personal belongings. This imagery helps to show us that Mother Teresa dedicated her life to her work. She gave up what she truly didn’t need and decided to become a nun, who lives in poverty.   Mother Teresa’s work as a nun under the group, Missionaries of Charity, took away any chances of living a normal life with simple pleasures. Mother Teresa proved to the poor that she understood them by living as they did. She knew that her living conditions wouldn’t be the most comfortable, but she knew that her sacrifice would allow her to make a great change in the world. Mother Teresa’s modest living shows us that in order to make a change you must give up something.  In her old age, Mother Teresa suffered from several health issues, but she didn’t let them stop her from helping the poor and suffering: “In August 1996 the world prayed for Mother Teresa’s recovery. At the age of 86, Mother Teresa was on a respirator in a hospital suffering for heart failure and malaria. Doctors were not sure she would recover. Within days she was fully conscious, asked to receive communion and requested that the doctors send he home. When she was released a few weeks later in early September a doctor said she firmly believed, ‘God will take care of me.”(Commire) Commire uses dialog to depict Mother Teresa’s selflessness. She says that Mother Teresa felt that God would take care of her and that she didn’t need to stay at the hospital. Mother Teresa decided that even when her health was in such terrible condition, the poor’s suffering was in much worse condition. She knew that helping the poor was what God had wanted her to do, so she knew that He would give her the life and energy to continue spreading her message. Mother Teresa showed tremendous selflessness through her work with the poor and suffering by giving up her personal life and material pleasures and also putting the needs of those she helped before her own needs, even in life-or-death situations.

Mother Teresa provides food for a poor family.www.crs.orgMother Teresa's compassion and love for everyone shine through her humanitarian work, and show that a little kindness can go a long way in the hearts of people.  Mother Teresa cared for all of the poor and suffering in the streets and did all that she could to make their lives easier and happier: “The pain of hunger is terrible and that little child had already experienced and she was afraid she would be hungry again. Now, there is much more difficult. I took that child home, I gave her food, the child became normal, full of love, full of life, and beauty”(Mother Teresa). Mother Teresa worked tirelessly to help the poor, at all costs. In this case, Mother Teresa saw a starving child, and she gave her bread. The child ate the bread, but soon she was worried of the next time hunger would come to haunt her. Mother Teresa knew that this problem required more dedication, time, and effort, but she set this aside and brought the child home. She did all that she could and made the life of the child better. Her immense care and compassion allowed a young girl to have a chance at living without the pains of hunger for a while. It is clear that Mother Teresa had a lot of affection for this young girl as she says that the young girl became beautiful and full of life and love after she was fed and nourished. Mother Teresa was extremely compassionate. Mother Teresa took care of not only the poor, but also the dying, the suffering, and the sick: “Whether working with lepers, attending the dying, or feeding the poor, Mother Teresa’s instructions to her co-workers are always the same: ‘When you attend to the wound and bruises of the poor, never forget that they are Christ’s wounds,”(Commire). Commire uses compare and contrast structure, to liken Mother Teresa’s love for helping the poor, with her worship of Christ. Her compassion for each soul was so great, that she was able to compare their wounds with the wounds of one of the mightiest beings, God. She believed the everyone should be treated with the same respect and kindness as God. Not only did Mother Teresa extend her compassion to the poor, she also embraced helping the sick and dying. Mother Teresa’s love and compassion left their mark on everyone's heart and are what make her a huge inspiration to many today.

Mother Teresa treating and feeding a sick man.www.americamagazine.orgMother Teresa’s selfless abilities to sacrifice her life for the good of the community and show kindness to everyone without judgement are the traits that dominate her personality and shine through her work, making her an inspirational figure. Mother Teresa gave up any chance of leading a normal life and served God and those in need. She gave up the Sisters of Loretto and started the Missionaries of Charity without any funds. Although Mother Teresa’s work was focussed mainly in the streets of Calcutta, her dedication allowed her message to spread and help to be delivered to many beyond her reach, and even after her life came to a close. Mother Teresa is considered an inspiration because of her selflessness and compassion. I struggle to put the needs of others before my own and to care for everyone. Mother Teresa did these things effortlessly, and she serves as a role model for me and so many others. She brought God, help, and love to thousands of people around the world and many of us can only hope that one day we will make half of the impact that she did. As I mentioned before, heroes and superheroes aren’t all that different. The qualities that superheroes have reflect the values that we hold near to our hearts. Our values are what allow us to chose our heroes. For me, Mother Teresa embodies my ideal self.  Her compassion, dedication, and selflessness are qualities that I strive to obtain. These qualities are what make her a superhero in her own way. As Robin Rosenberg once said, a hero is someone who chooses “altruism over the pursuit of wealth and power.”(Rosenberg) Mother Teresa chose altruism, and dedicated her life to helping the poor, while setting aside any urge to obtain power and wealth. Mother Teresa’s selflessness, compassion, and altruism are what make her super and allow her to inspire many even today

Works Cited

“Mother Teresa - Biographical.” Nobelprize.org, www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1979/teresa-bio.html.

"Mother Teresa." Encyclopedia of World Biography, Gale, 1998. Biography in Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1631006438/BIC1?u=powa9245&xid=4296893f. Accessed 21 Dec. 2017.

Mother Teresa. https://cdm16722.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p16722coll2/id/122.                                      

United States. Speech  

Robin Rosenberg. “The Psychology Behind Superhero Origin Stories.” Smithsonian Magazine, February, 2013.

"Teresa Of Calcutta, Mother." Historic World Leaders, edited by Anne Commire, Gale, 1994. Biography in Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1616000567/BIC1?u=powa9245&xid=01ff1848. Accessed 21 Dec. 2017.