I don’t know the name of these flowers. They look almost like lotus flowers and the color is very similar also. I just saw them when I drove by my house this afternoon. My mother bought this many years ago, but I thought it was just tree without gorgeous flowers like this. I guess I was too busy to even look at our front yard ever since. My mother was a bit upset when I told her this. By the time I noticed, the pretty flowers grow old already, but still look good enough for my eyes.

If you listen to the Dhamma teachings but don’t practice you’re like a ladle in a soup pot. The ladle is in the soup pot every day, but it doesn’t know the taste of the soup. You must reflect and meditate. ~ Ajahn Chah

Smile. It is a simple act, but sometimes takes a lot of effort. A smile can cause boundaries to melt, hearts to warm up, and distances to reduce. Why don’t we smile more often? Is it too tough to smile? The answer lies in our attitude towards life. If we are more accepting of situations, we will be able to smile more easily. Always wear a smile. Remember, without your smile, your attire is incomplete. ~ Simran Khurana

No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves.~Amelia Earhart

Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I vow to cultivate good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking and consuming. I vow to ingest only items that preserve peace, well-being, and joy in the body, in my consciousness, and in the collective body and consciousness of my family and society. I am determined not to use alcohol or any other intoxicant or to ingest foods or other items that contain toxins, such as certain TV programs, magazines, books, films, and conversations. I am aware that to damage my body or my consciousness with these poisons is to betray my ancestors, my parents, my society, and future generations. I will work to transform violence, fear, anger, and confusion in myself and in society by practicing a diet for myself and for society. I understand that a proper diet is crucial for self transformation and for the transformation of society. ~Thich Nhat Hanh