I think of myself as a communicator.

In my life, I have called myself an actor, communicating the truth of character, contained in the words of a playwright. I have called myself a booking agent, arranging for the truth of celebrity speakers to be spoken live to college students and business conferences. For almost forty years, I called myself a consultant, facilitating the truth of leading change in organizations.

I define myself as a writer of stories and songs, now. This presumes, I suppose, I have some words, words of wisdom, words of woe, words of joy, but I don’t know.

Today, my words, stories of my small existence, tales of ordinary people who shared extraordinary wisdom, songs of love and songs of heartbreak, today my own words seem hollow. They inspire me neither to lead nor follow.

So today, I will share others’ words, communicating borrowed fire, which may mean more, and yet inspire.

From a LinkedIn connection Kul Bushan Uppal, the words of Rabindranath Tagore, Bengali poet, poetic songwriter and winner of the Nobel prize for Literature in 1913.

“The one who plants trees knowing that he will never sit in their shade has at least started to understand the meaning of life.”

This reminds me of a song I heard yesterday, written by Iris Dement, Workin’ on a World:

“I got so down and troubled
I nearly lost my head
I started wakin’ every morning
Filled with sadness, fear and dread
The world I took for granted
Was crashing to the ground
And I realized I might not live long enough
To ever see it turn around

Oh, but then I got to thinkin’
Of the ones who came before
Of all the sacrifices that they made
To open up so many doors
Doors I got to walk through
On streets paved for me
By people who were workin’ on a world
They never got to see

[Chorus]
Now I’m workin’ on a world I may never see
I’m joinin’ forces with thе warriors of love
Who came beforе and will follow you and me
I get up in the mornin’ knowing I’m privileged just to be
Workin’ on a world I may never see

I don’t have all the answers
To the troubles of the day
But neither did all our ancestors
And they persevered anyway
When I see a little baby
Reaching out its arms to me
I remember why I’m workin’ on a world
I may never see

[Chorus]

I’m workin’ on a world I may never see
Joinin’ forces with the warriors of love
Who came before and will follow you and me
I get up in the mornin’ knowing I’m privileged just to be
Workin’ on a world I may never see
I’m workin’ on a world I may never see”

Then the words of Ken Burns, American historical documentary filmmaker:

“We define heroism as perfection. Of course it is not. Heroism is an internal negotiation, sometimes a war, between your strengths and your weaknesses.”

From Thomas Merton, American monk, from his book, New Seeds of Contemplation:

“If you love peace, then hate injustice, hate tyranny, hate greed – but hate these things in yourself, not in another.”

From Frederick Douglas, former slave, orator and political reformer in 1857, on the eve of the American Civil War,

“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress”.

From Martin Luther King, American Civil Rights leader:

“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

From noted sociologist Margaret Mead:

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

From Hellen Keller, who faced so many challenges:

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

And John Lennon’s famous song “Imagine” influenced mightily by his relationship with Yoko Ono:

“You might say I’m a dreamer,

But I’m not the only one.

I hope someday you’ll join us

and the world will live as one.”

Peace, love, and kindness . . . please.