When you visited London Trafalgar Square this year I wanted to come to london to join in the meditation. I was unable to travel to London that weekend so I lit candles and searched to find a video link on the internet. It was then I realized many years ago a dear friend had given me a poem “Please Call Me By My True Name” by Thich Nhat Hanh.

Since March 2012 I have been reading your book Reconciliation:Healing the Inner Child.

I have heard and read a lot about this subject. Personally though your words have a more helpful way of looking at this situation.

Then I was listening to your Awakening the Heart Teaching. This made me smile because I remember a few years ago I had some tests one was a an ultrasound of my heart to hear the pumping in and out of the blood flows. The tests came back as "satisfactory" much like my school reports I thought "makes effort" and "try’s hard".

Your Awakening the heart teachings reminded me while the technicians were doing the tests I could hear in the room the swoooshing sounds of my heart pumping blood. I was amazed and excited like hearing a new baby's heart beat for the first time.

I came home feeling that everyone of us should be allowed to hear the sound of our own heart like that!

It was a quite extraordinary and lovely sound. Reminding me of the life miracle. My heart seemed to be something alive inside me with its own voice SWOOOOSHHH SWOOOOOOSHHHH SWOOOOOOOSHHH SWOOOOSHHH

Listening to my own heart like that made me smile so much. It woke me up.

The sounds my heart were like a happy child sloshing around in puddles after the rain fall.

Your teachings remind me of those sounds that are still inside me quietly swooshing away.

So thank you and your village for your dedication and the love you bring into the world and the safe space you create for us.

I hope to visit Plum Village one day.

With Thanks and love Linda Joy