Question: The world is like a Sahara desert. People in the world are but grains of sand. What part could a little grain of sand play?

Sri Chinmoy: If one infinitesimal part is ready to help today, and tomorrow there will be another one as well, then gradually the whole desert will grow into perfection. Perfection is like a contagious disease. Perfection will grow in you today; then, if I sit in front of you tomorrow, your perfection will inspire me. Even if you do not want to give me what you possess inwardly, I will be able to take it, consciously or unconsciously.

Individual perfection is of paramount importance. The world will never be perfect unless and until each individual in the world has become perfect. We cannot expect the whole world to be perfect overnight. But if we can achieve inner perfection individually, then the world's outer perfection will gradually grow. First we have to solve our own problems — that is to say, we have to achieve our own illumination. If we have inner illumination ourselves, then only we can spread it. But if we say, "Oh, the world is so vast, what difference will one individual's illumination make?" then we are making a mistake. One will be illumined today, two tomorrow and so on. Slowly, steadily and unerringly we are trying to manifest the divinity within us. What we need is infinite patience. Let us have that patience, which is the light of our ever-expanding consciousness.