With the devastating earthquake in Haiti on January 12, 2010, I feel drawn and compelled to acknowledge it here before I could think of writing about anything else.

The Worldwide Humanitarian Service arm of the International Sri Chinmoy Centres, Oneness-Heart-Tears and Smiles, has often compassionately responded to countries in need after disasters.

In the meantime, I find myself remembering how recently I spent time in the Dominican Republic and spent time sightseeing in Santo Domingo – now a key way to reach Haiti by land if not flying into Port-Au-Prince. Or I remember learning about Haiti through reading the book Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder as he portrays the heroic efforts of Dr. Paul Farmer to serve the medical needs of the people of Haiti.

It is especially sad that this terrible earthquake has hit a country that was already the poorest nation in the entire Western hemisphere. I am consoled, however, to witness the immediate and dramatic outpouring of concern and assistance already underway.

My thoughts at times such as these turn to Sri Chinmoy’s writings on the United Nations and his emphasis on viewing the world as one family. The following excerpt from his book The Tears of Nation-Hearts is especially appropriate as the world pulls together to help Haiti.

“Each nation has achieved something special, at least for itself. When a nation is ready to feel that other nations are an extension of its own being, when a nation becomes aware that all nations belong to one family, one source, and have one common goal, then that particular nation can easily teach or share its lofty achievements. Each nation knows inwardly that satisfaction and perfection lie only in self-giving, not in displaying its grandiose achievements or in hoarding its capacities.

All nations are pilgrims, eternal pilgrims, walking along the same road, the road of Eternity. On the way, some become tired and want to take rest. They do not have the energy to walk any farther. At that moment, if the nations that are ahead can feed and energise those that have fallen back, then the lagging ones can easily keep pace with the nations that are marching speedily.

If a strong nation feels that its progress will be slow if it helps a weak one, I wish to say that this is not true. If one nation encourages, inspires, feeds and energises the nations that are behind, then the gratitude-flower of those particular nations will blossom inside the strong nation’s heart, and the fragrance of the gratitude-flower is bound to accelerate the strong nation’s progress toward its destined goal. The fragrance of the flower will inspire it, and from this inspiration it will get abundant life, abundant light and an abundant sense of achievement and perfection.”
-Sri Chinmoy, The Tears of Nation-Hearts, 1974

From that same lecture given at the United Nations in 1974 come these additional words that are so poignant in moments like these:

“Each individual being, each man and woman, should feel that he belongs not to his own nation, but to all nations. That does not mean that he will neglect his own nation and devote all his attention to other nations. But each human being who has the energy and willingness to be of service to other nations will also have the willingness to serve his own country in ample measure. While serving his own country, he has to feel that it is becoming one with other nations. He has to feel that his own arms are becoming one with his eyes. His arms are his power of work, and his eyes are his power of vision. His vision carries him to the length and breadth of the world, whereas his arms remain where he himself is. With his vision he sees the needs of his brothers and sisters of the world. Then with his arms he has to work to fulfil those needs. He can do this only when he feels that he has gone far beyond his little family and has accepted the world-family as his very own.

The greatest wise man of the past, Socrates, taught us something very profound when he said, “I am not an Athenian, nor am I a Greek. I am a citizen of the world.” If each individual in each nation can proclaim this message, if each individual in each nation can consciously and devotedly feel that he does not belong to a little family called “I and mine” but to a larger family called “We and ours,” then the message of the United Nations, the message of love, of brotherhood, of peace, of soulful sharing, can easily be received, embraced and executed by the entire world.”
-Sri Chinmoy, The Tears of Nation-Hearts, 1974

I am praying that relief efforts can prevail quickly and successfully and have already texted the word Haiti to 90999 to donate an immediate ten dollars to the Red Cross via the U.S. State Department. To follow news updates at CNN, I am reading here.