Love Quote by Mother Teresa
““In the West we have a tendency to be profit-oriented, where everything is measured according to the results and we get caught up in being more and more active to generate results. In the East -- especially in India -- I find that people are more content to just be, to just sit around under a banyan tree for half a day chatting to each other. We Westerners would probably call that wasting time. But there is value to it. Being with someone, listening wihtout a clock and without anticipation of results, teaches us about love. The success of love is in the loving -- it is not in the result of loving. These words, taken from the book A Simple Path, are the words of one of the Missionaries of Charity Sisters, not of Mother Teresa. ””
About This Quote
Source Book: A Simple Path, 2015
Contrasts Western productivity focus with Eastern contemplative practices, highlighting love’s value beyond results.
In simple terms: Being present and listening teaches love, not achievement.
Practice mindful presence without expecting outcomes.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- team meetings
- personal retreats
- community gatherings
- therapy sessions
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “wasting time” teach us?
- How can we balance action and stillness?
Western focus on results may undervalue relational depth.