Mother Teresa, USMC

Growing up, I had the odd health problem or two which prevented me from joining the military. Had I been able to do so, I probably would have gone for the Marines because that seems like the toughest of the lot. I would have wanted something difficult.

As a soul-refresher, I'm listening to Malcolm Muggeridge's book on Mother Teresa, Something Beautiful for God. There is so much to take from it, but I wanted to focus on one thing.

Malcolm asks her what most of us would ask. "What on Earth made you choose a life in the slums of Calcutta? What is drawing other young women to that life?" Her response is the Marine recruit's response. "I wanted to do something difficult and something with purpose." The young women who joined and still join her order wanted the same thing.

For some people, the desire to constantly prove yourself, to continually strive against long odds is a real draw. Crazy, man.

St. Mother Teresa. A seriously tough broad.