White Lily Closeup. Photo credit: Randy Neufeldt

Today I’m gonna try a little harder,
gonna make every minute last longer,
gonna learn to forgive and forget,
’cause we don’t have long,
gonna make the most of it,
today I’m gonna love my enemies,
reach out to somebody who needs me,
make a change, make the world a better place
’cause tomorrow could be one day too late.

The whole purpose of religion
is to facilitate love and compassion,
patience, tolerance, humility, and forgiveness.

~H.H. Dalai Lama

One day, I was very upset, because my best friend got laid off. I love her so much and didn’t want her to lose the job. I was just a very young girl around those days, didn’t know what to do, when coping something like this. So I cried. In the evening, I went to see my Buddhist Master and told him the story. This is what he said to me:

“You are crying, because your co-worker
lost her job, so you are not happy.
You want her to return to work so
you can be happy again…
My Little Girl, you are very selfish!
Your happiness is very conditional!
Did you realize that?
It’s all about making you happy,
so you can stop crying!”

It took me a while to understand his message.
From then on, I learned how to conquer my mind,
and try my best, not to let anything disturb my inner peace…

Photo credit: Randy Neufeldt

Every day, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can. ~Dalai Lama

TransAlta Inlet at Wabamun Lake. Photo credit: Randy Neufeldt

To forgive is the highest,
most beautiful form of love.
In return, you will receive
untold peace and happiness.
~Robert Muller

There is a terrible hunger for love.
We all experience that in our lives
– the pain, the loneliness.
We must have the courage to recognize it.
The poor you may have right in your own family.
Find them.
Love them.

~Mother Teresa

When you meditate,
a lot of thoughts raise their heads,
trying to make you forget to think intently.
Reject these thoughts and rise above them.

~Remez Sasson

• A tendency to think and act spontaneously
rather than on fears based on past experience
• An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment
• A loss of interest in judging other people
• A loss of interest in judging self
• more….

~Saskia Davis

Peace is present right here and now, in ourselves and in everything we do and see. The question is whether or not we are in touch with it. We don’t have to travel far away to enjoy the blue sky. We don’t have to leave our city or even our neighborhood to enjoy the eyes of a beautiful child. Even the air we breathe can be a source of joy. ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

When we are mindful,
deeply in touch with the present moment,
our understanding of what is going on deepens,
and we begin to be filled with
acceptance, joy, peace and love.

~ Thich Nhat Hanh,