Month: September 2021

“Happiness derived from mere physical comfort tends to be shallow and fleeting.  It fails to pacify anxiety and fear.  Whereas if we have a calm mind it is effective in overcoming even physical pain; therefore we should not neglect the inner values that are a source of a calm mind.”

This is a quote by the Dalai Lama.  As with other people who have acquired wisdom, he is able to express much in a few words.

The Dalai Lama telling us not to neglect inner values reminds me of the importance of trying to listen to and discern messages from our inner voice.  It is by endeavoring to follow our inner direction that those values are formed.  Sometimes when I’m walking or driving and see other people, I think about how the Creator wants to speak to each of us to help guide us each day.

It’s important too that we keep in mind that, as the Dalai Lama points out, happiness which results from physical comfort is temporary happiness.  The majority of people who live in the United States and in the other wealthy countries have many forms of physical comfort, including nice places to live and an abundance and variety of food from which to choose, along with many other blessings, for which we should be thankful.  But we need to remember that acquiring possessions isn’t what matters most.  Acquiring inner values is what matters most.

When the Dalai Lama refers to the inner values, some of the values that come to mind for me are generosity, honesty, integrity, creativity, and courage.  These qualities matter far more than any material belongings.  These qualities lead to a sense of peace, to having a calm mind.

As I was driving home today, I saw groups of children playing outside in the nice weather.  They were having fun, running, playing games, smiling and laughing.  Being carefree.  Enjoying the energy and spontaneity of youth.  It brought back memories of when I was a child playing with the neighbor children and also memories of when my daughter was a child playing with her friends.

It’s important to children’s healthy development that they have opportunities to interact with other children, to be active and carefree.  Although effective parenting includes a certain amount of direction-giving and limit-setting, some parents, guardians, and other caregivers overdo these.  This can result in decreasing and possibly stifling the development of certain qualities in children, such as curiosity, a sense of exploration, and creativity—qualities that not only enhance their childhood experiences but also that affect how they approach life as adults.  As adults, these qualities make possible a more interesting and enjoyable life.  They also are the impetus for ideas that result in advances and discoveries in fields of study and research which improve the lives of a great many people in the world.

Being creative and having a sense of exploration are also vital to artists of all kinds—dancers and choreographers, playwrights and the actors who perform their plays, writers of fiction and nonfiction, musicians and composers, and creators of the many types of visual arts.  All of these artistic creations enrich our lives, are often thought-provoking, and can help us to be more in touch with our own creativity.

Many years have passed since I was a child.  How quickly the time has gone by.  I have had much to be thankful for during those years.  It is only natural and to be expected that there have been some difficult, sad, and challenging times.  But I have also been blessed with times of joy, with having a special daughter, with friendships, and with good health.  And my life has been enriched by experiencing the creations and talents of artists and performers.

One of the most helpful things we can do for our wellbeing is to remember those things for which we are thankful.