“A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others.

He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the quality of his actions and the integrity of his intent. In the end, leaders are much like eagles, they do not flock, and you find them one at a time.”

Now my reflection stems from this statement; where do leaders acquire that great courage, that compassionate heart, that resolved will, that truthful intent, and that radiating confidence? Ignatius then comes into the picture. In His company and its practices, its tradition tells us that acquiring this great feats of leadership is rooted in our capacity to take hold of ourselves, to understand what we deeply value, what we deeply love and what our inner most soul yearns for. By contemplating and understanding its movement with in you, you will find the ultimate source – a personal God. God provides the tremendous energy to make it all manifest in our lives. So it is with the self, anchored with a profound faith that one stands alone but always with others, that one acts with compassion but just, that one becomes truthful to himself and then to others, that one becomes a true eagle, a true leader of God’s people.