My fondness for learning about the beliefs of others has led me to enjoy many beautiful experiences in the many places Ive lived. One of the most personal and sweet took place years ago in Burlington, Vermont. I sat on the front row at the Patrick Gymnasium where Thich Nhat Hanh was scheduled to speak. He sat on a meditation pillow on the stage and the spotlight illuminated him and those of us on the first few rows. For some reason, (perhaps it was because he naturally looks off to the right when he speaks), he looked at me for the entirety of his 90 minute speech, save for five minutes or so as he looked away here and there. My bucket list back then included meeting Thich Nhat Hanh because of the influence his books had on me, and because his efforts to promote peace had led Dr. Martin Luther King to nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize, which touched me profoundly. Although he was whisked away after he closed his remarks, I felt as though we had met, because we had shared the private communication that comes from a gaze filled with kindness and love.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 03:07:43 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015