Each one of us can and does make a difference.

Five thousand years ago, an Ashoka or a Chandragupta Maurya decided the fate of a nation — today you and I do it. This is the power of democracy, which by its very definition is the rule of the ordinary (wo)man. And the only thing that can make this rule extra-ordinary, is an inspired ordinary (wo)man.

When an oligarchy goes wrong, it is easy to blame the ruling class and resort to a revolution. When a democracy goes wrong-- the only alternative is evolution. We are the only ones responsible, for the conditions of our homes and our nation. However, there is no need to quell under this responsibility. In fact it gives us  reason to rejoice. Since, “That which I created, I can demolish; that which is created by someone else, I shall never be able to destroy.” It instantly makes me the master of my own destiny.

In fact, every one of us is a potential success story. None is born great—one has to attain greatness. However, such success is no accident. To attain success, we have to grow beyond the boundaries of our perceived limitations. We have to evolve. This process of evolution is intrinsic to life itself. Swami Vivekananda sums it up well —“All expansion is life, all contraction is death.” If we do not grow and develop, we stagnate and perish. St. Frances de Sales’ put it beautifully — “Be what you are and be that at its very best.”

To carry this message forward, RIMSE (Ramakrishna Institute of Moral & Spiritual Education), Mysore, India is a lead- partner with IQF in this initiative. IQF also has collaborations with different centres of the worldwide Ramakrishna Mission.