Giving Peace a Chance....

On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, and also Non-Violence Day…it was inspiring to read Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s editorial in the Times Of India. While how much of it is practicable, is up to each one of us. Here are a few which I particularly liked:

“Every reader has seeds of fear, anger, violence and despair, and also seeds of hope, compassion, love and forgiveness. As journalists, you must not water the wrong seeds. You have the job of selectively watering the right seeds. You must attempt to tell the truth and yet not water the seeds of hate. It’s not what’s in the story, but how you tell it that’s important” (On being asked by the TOI on what they should do on a day like this)

“You don’t have to run into the future, you have enough conditions to be happy right here and now….the kingdom of god is available for you. But are you available for the kingdom?”

“I am made of so many non-me elements – my parents, the food I eat, the education I received, knowledge gained from others. Take away all the ‘non-me’, and there is no ‘me’ left.”

“We cannot often choose our circumstances, but we can choose how we respond to them: that is our real freedom.”