Inside the Now: Meditations on Time
by Thich Nhat Hanh
Exploring this Journal Theme (Peaceful Pathways) in the Present Tense
EPCC’s theme for this issue of our ongoing Journal is “Peaceful Pathways.” In it you will find varied and engaging ways and tools for you to help children and families find and pursue their own pathways to create and maintain peaceful and joyful lives for themselves and the communities where they live. While it seems that so much of Peace Education is focused on how to help children and adults get their needs and desires met through collaborative means that allow the other members of their community to do the same, there is an older wisdom that maintains each person must grow to be at peace within themselves to successfully travel the paths of peace.
In 2013 when he was 88 years old, Thich Nhat Hahn, a widely known and respected Buddhist monk wrote the last of his over 100 books, Inside the Now. His own 95-year pathway had passed through the horrors of war-torn Viet Nam where he witnessed the destruction of his community and death of family, friends and fellow monks. And yet, not only did he survive all that; he grew to become the founder of Engaged Buddhism, a practice that emphasizes the integration of spiritual practice with social and environmental action. He is considered by many to be the father of modern mindfulness, an intentional way to engage with the world.
The book is in two parts. The first is an autobiographical prologue told in a combination of factual text and beautiful, expressive poetry. In the second, and much longer part, also in Thich Nhat Hanh’s powerful and exquisite mixture of prose and poetry, he explores and expounds on the dual themes of (a) being a human in a world of humans and other beings, and (b) the power of living in the “now” (versus any other state of time) to affect your own happiness and inner peace. By way of example, consider this paragraph:
“Dear one, do not seek happiness in the future. Do not wait for that day, do not wait for a distant future then . . . Do not say that happiness will be possible only when you have this or that. What is it you are looking for? What is it you are waiting for? Is it fame? Is it wealth? Is it power? Is it sex? Or is it just a distraction from the emptiness inside? Do not think that you will be truly happy only when you have obtained these things. Do not wait for them.”
Although not as horrific as Thich Nhat Han’s, the current path we are walking as educators and families with young children in the United States has its own challenges, obstacles and pitfalls. While we are doing our best to teach our children how to be strong, competent, empathetic people and community members, we can continue working to become models of the ethical, peaceful and just people we want our children to grow into. If that is part of the peaceful path you are interested in traveling, I invite you to add Inside the Now to your reading list.
This article is part of our Newsletter 2025 Issue 4. See all articles.
