Peace

“…peace is not external or to be sought after or attained. Living mindfully, slowing down and enjoying each step and each breath, is enough. Peace is already present in each step, and if we walk in this way, a flower will bloom under our feet….In fact the flowers will smile at us and wish us well…”—Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace is Every StepPeace is evident in nature. We can feel it as we walk and in our quiet moments of stillness. We can feel it in the wind, the cool earth beneath our feet, the sun upon our face, in the drifting of the clouds. It is not that nature isn’t full of harsh realities, but that it continues, it endures and it renews. It reminds us that we can do that, too.

Each Moment

“Every morning, when we wake up, we have twenty-four brand new hours to live…. We don’t have to travel far away to enjoy the blue sky. We don’t have to leave our city or even our neighborhood to enjoy the eyes of a beautiful child. Even the air we breathe can be a source of joy…. Every breath we take, every step we make, can be filled with peace, joy, and serenity. We need only to be awake, alive in the present moment.
–Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace is Every Step
Our goals, our plans for the day, our choices give us direction, ground us in the day, give us opportunity to express our gifts to the world. At the same time, there is an unseen challenge that is felt by everyone--the challenge of creating a happy, peaceful heart.

This peace and happiness does not lie outside of us in what others say or do, or in the events we encounter in the day, or even in the results of our endeavors. This peace and happiness lies within us, in our hearts and in our response to this very moment.