Once there was this lady called Ada. She was a happily married lady who loved her husband before anything else in the world. Basically she lived for the sake of her husband. One fine day, her husband came up to her and said that he had decided to divorce her as he had found someone else whom he loves more. Ada was shocked and it was as if the whole world of hers had come to an end. "How am I supposed to live without him?" she asked herself. But fortunately, Ada had a good friend named Ivan. Ivan consoled her and helped her lead a new life again by saying, "Ada, for the past years, you have been living for a man. Now that he is gone, it is time for you to live for yourself, do something you think is worth doing."

On hearing that, Ada got quite motivated and started to live for herself. She began to work in charity organization and was actively involved in all the volunteering work. This was what she meant by living a life worth living. One day, Ada called Ivan and said, "Ivan, I have decided. I shall join Mother Teresa in her missionary work. I shall join her in Calcutta to help the poor and needy." On hearing this, Ivan encouraged her to continue with what she had in mind. So Ada wrote a letter to ask Mother Teresa for permission to join her in Calcutta. But she did not have her address, so she went to Ivan for help again. Ivan replied, "There is no need to know her exact address. Just write on the envelope:

To: Mother Teresa
Calcutta, India

All the folks in Calcutta will know where this letter is supposed to go.." Ada did just that and posted the letter. A few months passed and still there was no reply from Mother Teresa. Ada waited and waited..until one fine day..she received a letter from India. She opend it up and it read:

Dearest Ada,
I am glad you are willing to help the poor and needy. I am encouraged that you are interested in my missionary work but I tell you, my child, don't join me here in Calcutta. Go and find your own Calcutta.

Love,
Mother Teresa

On reading that, Ada slipped the latter back into the envelope and started thinking about her own Calcutta...

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Ha..not sure if you find the story cheesy, but when I first read it, it invoked some thoughts in me, instead of being "just another inspirational story". Many a times, when people volunteer, they do look for the existing homes to offer their help, and they keep going on to the same place to help out, or help others in some ways that others had done before. It seldom cross our minds that we can perhaps find our very own Calcutta and benefit more people in the process...hmm..food for thought I guess. Haha..not inciting you all to leave mwh ah, but when we see the need for volunteers elsewhere, we need to move on in our lives too..especially if we have gained in one way or another from a volunteering experience, we can move on to lead and share with others what we had learnt along the way...:) Pass it on!