What is the art of living all about?
In a three-part series titled Peace is the Project, we explored how to find tranquility in daily life. However, it’s important to point out that tranquility is not necessarily the ultimate goal.
The late Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh wrote in his Being Peace,
Many of us worry about the world situation. We don’t know when the bombs will explode. We feel that we are on the edge of time. As individuals, we feel helpless, despairing. The situation is so dangerous, injustice is so widespread, the danger is close. In this kind of situation, if we panic, things will only become worse. We need to remain calm, to see clearly. …
In Vietnam, there are many people, called boat people, who leave the country in small boats. Often the boats are caught in rough seas or storms, the people may panic, and boats can sink. But if even one person aboard can remain calm, lucid, knowing what to do and what not to do, he or she can help the boat survive. His or her expression – face, voice – communicates clarity and calmness, and people have trust in that person. They will listen to what he or she says. One such person can save the lives of many.
Leading a life may require us to head into the storm. To live virtuously is not about avoiding aspects of life that might cause us anxiety. It is to remain calm amidst the chaos of life.
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