YOU are that person

Many of us worry about the world situation. We feel that we are on the edge of time. As individuals, we feel helpless, despairing – 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

I like to use the example of a small boat crossing the Gulf of Siam. 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.

Our world is something like a small boat. We are about to panic because our situation is no better than the situation of the small boat in the sea. We need people who can sit still and be able to smile, who can walk peacefully. We need people like that in order to save us. Mahayana Buddhism says that YOU are that person, that each of you is that person’

Let’s try & be that person for our family & community – An abridged version from Being Peace by Thich Nhat Hanh