In November 1996 I was made redundant from a senior role within Investment banking industry; I felt lost. I looked for a new role in newspapers and with many recruitment agencies, nothing even sparked my interest. No surprise, I was unsuccessful at all interviews, there was not a new job for me.

In February 1997 I got message that changed my life forever.

At insistence of a close friend I had gone to visit Jean Clarke, a Colonic therapist. During first minute of my initial visit to Jean, she said had a message for me, but was dubious about giving me message. I insisted.

The message was that man in front of her (me) felt his life was over and affect of this would be this. Within two years I would become seriously ill and die within five years. Even love of for my wife and two young sons would not be enough to keep me here. I had given none of this personal information to Jean.

I was shaken; Jeans' message resonated with me as no other ever had. After twenty frustrating years in business life I did feel my life was over. I felt I had been there and done it many times over, there was little more left for me to achieve.

The information came to her as a message. There was another message; if I changed my life and turned towards a role of helping people I would have a long and happy life ahead of me.

The veils began to lift from my eyes. I felt I had hope and my life changed that day in that room in South London. I always bless Jean for being my messenger and guide during this period of my life.

I decided to turn my back on my previous professional life and seek a new path. Fear and excitement came in equal measure, as I once again became a student. This time I was an eager and in time a humble student.

For past six years my life has been a rollacoaster of emotion, fear, joy, happiness and loneliness. I knew general direction I had to travel with no idea as to specifics.

I have always been and remain a true skeptic, open-minded and willing to try.

I journeyed to places I could not have imagined myself going. I first became attuned to Reiki healing and found my life changing. I began to link with wonderful enthusiastic people.

That’s not what people who knew her said. In my Strengths course, I ask learners to name major strength of different well-known people. Here’s what Pamela Sheppard replied: “The standard is compassion, but, having had chance to actually see her in action, I have to add mental toughness, clarity of intention and economy of action. She was Holy Hell on Wheels, and thank God for that! --- and anyone else pales beside her.”

Another anecdote from someone who worked with Mother T. for 6 months and described herself as “the typical Trophy Wife looking for enrichment and meaning.” She was also a self-proclaimed fixer.

When she got on-site and saw people in hospitals and hospice areas cleaning floors with rags and cloths, she became excited. She told Mother Theresa—and this was a month after getting there when she felt she could actually speak to her and not just gaze at her in awe and feel woefully inadequate—that she could get brooms and mops sent to her. For FREE.

“Mops?” said Mother Theresa, in that lilting voice of hers. “Yes,” she replied, “they’ll save time and energy.” “Labor saving devices?” replied Mother Theresa. “But point is to labor,” and smiled and walked off.

APPLICATION