In his book, Peace is Every Breath: A Practice for Our Busy Lives, Thích Nhất Hạnh writes,

“We need a collective awakening. One Buddha is not enough. All of us have to become Buddhas in order for our planet to have a chance.”

He was referring to the ‘mindless overborrowing’ of our species against this planet—this practice of material over spiritual enrichment, which has diminished our resources and left us none the richer.

That, in order to effect a more positive global change, we must ‘wake up’ to the miracles within each moment.

Fortunately, you and I have already made this discovery—and, through each action we strive to bring peace to every step.

My darlings, enlightenment isn’t a matter of suddenly waking up—rather, it is a gradual retuning to what is already there…these pockets of wakefulness in each one of our moments.

For me, wakefulness is found in the gently furled edges of a morning glory’s bloom, and in the damp, roughened bark of my favorite walking path tree. It is the soft ‘breath’ of a hummingbird’s wings, and in the  never-ending light of a child’s inquisitive ‘glow.’

Indeed, ‘the present moment is a teacher that will always be with you, a teacher that will never fail you.’ And, and these miracles of mindfulness are all around.

Together, we are an indomitable force, my loves—a force, that has the capacity to bring lasting peace to this world.