“Despite a lifelong commitment to peace and nonviolence, I did not study Gandhi until late in life. My attempts to comprehend his message were impeded by the man himself. Every time I tried to approach Gandhi, I found myself intimidated and overwhelmed–not only by the enormity of his accomplishments but also by the austerity and eccentricities of his personality. Gandhi seemed almost inconceivable. How could one so spiritual and detached from the material world achieve so much in altering the course of history?”