You'd Never Know that Mother Teresa Died

Princess Di Takes the Cake

By Auren Hoffman auren@bridgepath.com

On the back page of every newspaper was the biggest story of the week: Mother Teresa, after a lifetime of love and achievement, died.

But unless you really paid attention, you would have thought that the only person who died last week was Princess Diana -- because she was on the front page of each of those newspapers and magazines. Diana's death was tragic (especially considering her youth), but expected considering she let herself be driven around by a man far drunker than the legal limit driving 4 times the legal speed limit.

Two of the most famous women of the world died last week and their lives could not have been more different. Diana, gorgeous and vibrant, was born to a gentile old-money family. She married the Prince, then divorced, and then led a life photo-ops.

Mother Teresa (born Agnes Gonza Bojaxhiu) was certainly no beauty. She was short, very average, and born to grocery store worker in Macedonia. She married the Catholic Church and never got divorced.

Diana brought recognition to many of the world's problems -- and for this she should be commended. But Mother Teresa actually helped solve some of the world's problems. She built over 500 hospitals in over 100 countries to help the poor. She fought the Calcutta slums. She inspired millions to do good. She did this not with glamour or for self-want -- she did this because she cared.

Maybe some Americans who sit in front of the tabloid television, the Dateline NBC Hard Copy Sally Jesse Opera Prime Time Live marathon that persists everyday never heard of Mother Teresa.

That's sad.

That's really sad.

Though it is understandable for Americans to look up AT the glamour and the royalty of a Princess -- most Americans should look up TO people like Mother Teresa. And though most of us will never be as devoted or have as much impact as Mother Teresa, many of us will live much happier lives than Princess Di.


Auren Hoffman writes a weekly column called Summation and can be found at http://www.kybersys.com/summation/