The Danish Peace Academy

GANDHI AND NORDIC COUNTRIES

Letter, [February 12,] 1920

Thursday [February 12,] 1920

My dear Esther,

You and Mahadev are foremost in my mind as I finished my mouth wash. I have detained you in Ahmedabad. But have I done right? If your health grows worse where am I? I therefore want you to await me only if you keep at least tolerably well. Otherwise we must meet on your return from Madras. Please don’t consider yourself bound to stay on because I have expressed the wish. To express purest love is like walking on the edge of a sword. ‘None of self and all of Thee’ is easier sung than practised. We never know when we are not selfish even when we fancy we are all love. The more I think of it, the more I feel the truth of what I have often said. Love and truth are two faces of the same coin and both most difficult to practise and the only things worth living for. A person cannot be true if he does not love all God’s creatures; truth and love are therefore the complete sacrifice. I shall therefore pray that both you and I may realize this to the fullest measure.

Yours,

Bapu

Source: My Dear Child, pages 53-54; Collected Works, Volume 17, page 26

Top