"If we are peaceful, if we are happy, we can smile and blossom like a flower, and everyone in our family, our entire society, will benefit from our peace." Thich Nhat Hanh
This is the first quote on my new Thich Nhat Hanh calendar. I simply adore his teachings. What I love from this one is the refreshing emphasis on just how important it is that we nurture our inner lives. It can be so easy, in my experience, to put this off, to make our own happiness a low priority, easily lost amidst the business (or busy-ness) of life. Yet we do so at great cost, I think. The greatest gift we can give to those who know is and care about us is our own peace and happiness.
Which is not to say that we aren't allowed to be sad, or anxious, or angry. Of course we are allowed these things; they are as much a part of our humanity as anything else. But we also should recognize the importance of valuing our own emotional and spiritual sustenance. Making it a priority rather than simply paying lip service.
Peace to you all.
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