Month: February 2023

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Valuing Inner Peace

“Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.”

This quote by the Dalai Lama reminds us of the importance of safeguarding our sense of peace by being aware that what other people do and say affects us.  This applies to the behavior of people we know, such as a family member unjustifiably criticizing us or a coworker telling another coworker something that isn’t true about us, as well as to the actions of people we don’t know, such as when we read about others being treated unjustly.

In my experience and in those of others who have shared their experiences with me, it can be difficult to not let the behavior of others destroy–or at least temporarily disrupt–our inner peace.  And yet it’s essential to our wellbeing that we follow the Dalai Lama’s wise counsel.

Some approaches that I have found to be helpful are self-reminders and “distraction” coping techniques.  If I’ve been unfairly criticized or hurt in other ways, I remind myself that what has been said or done is unwarranted, that the person who behaved in that way has problems, and that I must do my best to not let their problems take away positive energy from me.  When I read or hear about wrongdoings done to other people, I naturally feel sadness that such things happen and then I try to focus on the many good things that people do in our world every day.  Some distraction coping techniques are doing physical exercises, taking a walk, reading, doing housework–any activity that helps us to focus on something other than the disturbing behavior.  An additional benefit of distraction techniques is that not only are we not giving energy to the negativity of what has been said or done, we are also doing things that are good for us and that give us a sense of accomplishment.

It’s natural to feel righteous anger when we read or hear about hurtful acts, righteous anger meaning the anger we feel because we care about others and because we want people to act morally.  And, even though it’s emotionally healthy to safeguard our inner peace, that doesn’t mean we don’t have empathy for others who have been mistreated.  When possible, we should do what we can to help those who have been wronged.

Having inner peace is a gift from our Creator.  As with all blessings we’ve been given, it’s not something we’ve earned or deserve.  It’s a gift that helps us to follow the life path we have been created to follow.

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Reading to Children Is a Precious Gift

“Reading should not be presented to children as a chore or duty.  It should be offered to them as a precious gift.”

This quote is by Kate DeCamillo who has written many children’s books and who has received a number of awards for her writing, including two Newbery Medals.

Reading truly is a precious gift, and is a gift that can be–and ideally should be–given to children starting when they are very young.  When we read to children, we give them the gift of learning about our world, from basic information such as colors, numbers, and aspects of nature—the animals, the sky and sun, trees and flowers–to more subjective aspects of life, such as the ways people help each other, how children make friends and play together, and how parents treat their children and each other with love.  Reading and looking at illustrations present to children stories with themes of adventure, sharing, discovery, affection, trust, and many other topics.  Children being read to by others and reading books on their own when they’re older contributes to their creativity and intellectual development and improves their ability to express themselves.

Another important reason for reading to children is that it is an opportunity to spend time together, time that makes them feel valued.

Children who are read to starting at a young age experience that reading is a natural part of each day, which often leads to their continuing to enjoy and benefit from reading as adolescents and adults.  I read to my daughter starting when she was a baby and throughout her childhood.  And now when I visit my grandson, my daughter’s little boy, I spend part of my visit reading to him.  I’m continually impressed by the creativity and talent of the authors and the illustrators of children’s literature, and reading to my grandson is a special time of togetherness for him and for me, just as it was for my daughter and me when she was a child.

I encourage you to give the gift of reading to the children in your life.