Gentleness means recognizing that the world around us is fragile, especially other people. It is recognizing our own capacity to do harm and choosing instead to be tender, soft-spoken, soft-hearted, and careful. When we are gentle we touch the world in ways that protect and preserve it. Being gentle doesn't mean being weak; gentleness can be firm, even powerful. To behave in a gentle manner requires that we stay centered in our own values and strength — that we are active rather than reactive. Coming from this center, a gentle word or touch can channel our energy into healing or making peace. 

~Wisdom Commons

Loving someone is about giving, not receiving. 
~Nicholas Sparks, author

The disciples were absorbed in a discussion of Lao-tzu's dictum: 
"Those who know, do not say; 
Those who say, do not know."
When the master entered, 
they asked him what the words meant. 
Said the master, "Which of you knows the fragrance of a rose?" 
All of them indicated that they knew. 
Then he said, "Put it into words." 
All of them were silent. 

~From One Minute Wisdom by Anthony DeMello

Lying destroys relationships, it destroys trust, and worst, it destroys character. ~Eunice Camacho Infante #fullmoon  

The clouds roll in on me so heavily
I feel the rains presence as I listen to the roaring sea.
That blue sea that takes you in and washes you away
To somewhere you may or may not want to stay.
That blue sea that you look in for answers
that blue sea that questions your questions
or gives you an answer only with question backwards
That blue sea that leaves your thoughts
within its deep blue content.
That feeling it gives leaving you absent…
of what could happen as that blue sea waves.
Washing away the thoughts and emotion you felt
Yes I’m talking hurt and pain.
That blue sea that your secrets swim within
That blue sea you float in continuously again and again.
That blue sea, that blue sea
That blue sea is reality.

As a mother would risk her life to protect her child, her only child, even so should one cultivate a limitless heart with regard to all beings. So with a boundless heart should one cherish all living beings; radiating kindness over the entire world. ~The Buddha, Sutta Nipata I, 8

Photo source: http://mettarefuge.wordpress.com

Homage to you Refreshing Earth Bodhisattva
Mother of this world with its many species.
We want to turn to you with respect,
Beautiful green planet in the midst of the sky,
You who have given birth to countless species,
Produced so many wonders of life,
Loved in the ultimate sense of non-discrimination,
Embraced all species not barring a single one,
Loyal and reliable, tolerant and stable,
The mother who bears all species.
Countless bodhisattvas spring up
From your fresh green lap.
Mother you embrace and transform
Sweeping away the hatred of humans,
Creating new life day and night,
Helping the earth to bloom with the flowers of heaven.
You are open to thousands of other galaxies,
Sharing your joy with the trichiliocosm,
By seeing that your true nature is interdependence.
Conserving and protecting so that nothing is lost,
Not being, not nothing, not eternal, not annihilated,
Not the same, not different, not coming, not going.
Your love knows no limits,
Your virtues no shortcomings.
Your nature is the Four Immeasurable Minds
Like the four great oceans they never dry up.
Whenever spring returns you wear a new robe
Of red roses, the green willow, beautiful and fresh.
When summer comes the vegetation displays its bright colours, Wholesome seeds, sweet fruits are to be found everywhere.
How brilliant are the colours of the autumn forest
Until winter comes and snowflakes fill the sky.
The afternoon tide chants like the roll of thunder
The morning sunrise paints an incomparable picture,
Making visible all the splendours of the universe.
You are the most beautiful flower of the Solar System,
The wisdom that lights up the ten directions,
The mind that is open to all places.
Mother, you are the Paradise of the Present,
Making possible the future for all species.
We come back and take refuge in you,
With nothing to run after, accepting the unfavourable as also favourable, Seeing that you are always in us and
Seeing ourselves in you for all of time.
May we follow your good example,
And live every moment with true peace and joy.
Homage to the Refreshing Mother Earth Bodhisattva

~ Thay

First, we try not to water the seeds of suffering. Second, if a seed if suffering exists then we can invite a wholesome seed to manifest. Third, when a good seed is manifesting, we try to maintain the positive energy. Fourth, we try to keep the good seeds alive. This is the practice if right diligence. The art of happiness. ~Thich Nhat Hanh

Photo source: visiblelove1.blogspot.com

For the sake of material gain modern man does not listen to the voice of nature. His mental activities are so preoccupied with his future happiness that he neglects the needs of his physical body and entirely forgets the present moment for what it is worth. This unnatural behaviour of contemporary man is that immediate result of his wrong conceptions of World Order, of human life and its ultimate purpose. It is the cause of all the frustration, anxiety, fear and insecurity of our present times. One who really likes to have peace should not disturb another man’s freedom. It is a wrong method to seek happiness by disturbing and deceiving others.

“You can deceive some of the people all the time, and all the people some of the time, but you cannot deceive all of the people all of the time.” (Abraham Lincoln)

If man is cruel and wicked, always lives against the laws of nature and the cosmos; through his acts, words and thoughts, he pollutes the whole atmosphere. As a result of such misdeeds and thoughts, nature may not produce things which man requires for his living but instead man may be faced with epidemics and various kinds of disasters.

If, on the other hand, man lives in accordance with this natural law, leads a righteous way of life, purifies the atmosphere through the merits of his virtues and radiates his loving kindness towards other living beings, he can change the atmosphere in order to bring about better results for the happiness of man.

You may be a very modern busy man, but don’t forget to spend at least a few minutes a day in reading some valuable books. This habit will give you a lot of relief and enable you to forget your worries and to develop your mind. At the same time you have to remember that you have a religion also. Religion is for your own benefit. Therefore it is your duty to think about your religion and to spare a few minutes a day for the performance of your religious duties.

By Ven. Dr. K. Sri hammananda
Source: http://www.chuadieuphap.us/

The problems or sickness we experience are like clouds in the sky obscuring the sun. Just as the clouds temporarily block the sun but are not of the same nature as the sun, our problems or sickness are temporary and the causes of them can be removed from the mind.

The basic root of our problems and sickness is selfishness, what we can call the inner enemy. Selfishness causes us to engage in negative actions, which place negative imprints on the mindstream. These negative actions can be of body, speech or mind, such as thoughts of jealousy, anger and greed.

Selfish thoughts also increase pride, which results in feelings of jealousy towards those higher than us, superiority towards those lower than us and competitiveness towards equals. These feelings in turn result in an unhappy mind, a mind that is without peace. On the other hand, thoughts and actions directed to the well-being of others bring happiness and peace to the mind.

Source: http://www.buddhanet.net/
Photo source: globalgrasshopper.com