In a heartfelt presentation, Mexican businessman and philanthropist Carlos Kasuga recounted a story his father told him as a child:

“There once was a beautiful forest where many small animals lived. Suddenly, the forest caught on fire and all the little animals had to leave. One small sparrow stayed behind, however. He went to the river, soaked his wings in the water, flew above the flames and tried to put out the fire by releasing one or two small drops. An elephant saw what was happening and shouted: Little sparrow, don’t be a fool! Run away and save yourself like the rest of us! Don’t you see that you are going to burn?

The little sparrow turned around and said “No! This forest has given me everything: my family, food to eat, my friends, but above all, it has given me happiness. I don’t care if I die. Out of simple loyalty I am going to try to save the forest.

The little sparrow kept repeating his actions: he would go to the river, wet his wings, and fly over the fire and release one or two drops over the flames.

The gods were moved by the little sparrow’s actions and sent a huge thunderstorm that put out the fire.

The forest returned to flourish and bloom. All the little animals returned to their homes in the forest and were happy, even happier than ever before.”

Kasuga reflects on this tale, urging us to become like the sparrow. In the face of economic, social, or political challenges, he encourages us to leave behind "one or two drops of sweat, of hard work, of studying hard... and if you do, your community will thank you and God will bless you."

This message is deeply aligned with the ancient wisdom of the Yogis, as expressed by Yogi Ramacharaka. “True spirituality,” he explains, "does not teach that man should sit around doing nothing but meditating." Instead, it is "man’s duty and glorious privilege to participate in the world’s work, and that he or she who is able to do something a little better than it has ever been done before is blessed, and a benefactor to the race."

Yogi Ramacharaka emphasizes working not for material rewards, but for the joy of the work itself. He advocates for "the absolute Ambition, which causes you to work for work’s sake—for the joy which comes to the worker—from the desire to express the Divine instinct to create."

Both Kasuga’s sparrow and Yogi Ramacharaka’s teachings inspire you to strive for excellence in your endeavors. By doing the best you know how, you not only improve yourself but also uplift your community. So, be the sparrow. Dedicate yourself to your work, no matter how small, and know that your efforts can spark divine rewards and a flourishing world.