Monday, 04 April 2011 08:31

We are all affected by one another. By those in the same room and by those around the world, In Haiti, in New Orleans, New Zealand, Japan, Afghanistan and Libya. Everywhere. What happens to others affects our thinking our energy and our hearts everyday.  In these times of war and disaster, I am here at home looking out the window at the blue sky. I’m feeling the sun on my face and grateful that my family is safe but there is a sadness and emptiness without explanation. The birds outside sing but they also are experiencing the pain of others around the world just as we do.  I often read the writings of Vietnamese Zen Master and Human Rights activist, Thich Nhat Hanh. His writing is poetry and his message is peace.  Here is a beautiful quote from his book The Heart of Understanding that I have been reading today. May we all take time to reflect our connectedness to those around the world and together share moments of compassion and peace.

FROM THE BOOK THE HEART OF UNDERSTANDING:

“If you are a poet, you will see clearly that there is a cloud floating on this sheet of paper. Without a cloud, there will be no rain; without rain, the trees cannot grow; and without trees, we cannot make paper… So we can say that the cloud and the paper 'inter-are.' ... We cannot just be by ourselves alone; we have to inter-be with every other thing.”

                                    ~Thich Nhat Hanh

With Love,