When I was in my early 20’s, I had the pleasure to see Thich Nhat Hanh at the Omega Institute in Rhineback, NY. His energy and love were powerfully apparent. I could feel his desire for a more peaceful world which is something that I resonate with.

Below are some of my favorite thoughts from Thich Nhat Hanh. Enjoy these quotes and reflect on the relationships in your life when you read them. I believe that healthy and happy relationships are one of the main

1. “Through my love for you, I want to express my love for the whole cosmos, the whole of humanity, and all beings. By living with you, I want to learn to love everyone and all species. If I succeed in loving you, I will be able to love everyone and all species on Earth… This is the real message of love.”
2. “When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help. That’s the message he is sending.”
3. “When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don’t blame the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce. Yet if we have problems with our friends or family, we blame the other person. But if we know how to take care of them, they will grow well, like the lettuce. Blaming has no positive effect at all, nor does trying to persuade using reason and argument. That is my experience. No blame, no reasoning, no argument, just understanding. If you understand, and you show that you understand, you can love, and the situation will change.”
4. “We really have to understand the person we want to love. If our love is only a will to possess, it is not love. If we only think of ourselves, if we know only our own needs and ignore the needs of the other person, we cannot love.”
5. “People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.”
6. “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.”
7. “The seed of suffering in you may be strong, but don’t wait until you have no more suffering before allowing yourself to be happy.”
8. “People deal too much with the negative, with what is wrong. Why not try and see positive things, to just touch those things and make them bloom?”
9. “When you say something really unkind, when you do something in retaliation your anger increases. You make the other person suffer, and he will try hard to say or to do something back to get relief from his suffering. That is how conflict escalates.”
10. “The source of love is deep in us and we can help others realize a lot of happiness. One word, one action, one thought can reduce another person’s suffering and bring that person joy.”

Much love and peace to your relationships,