On Presence

"In order for us to be present with others, we must be able to be present with ourselves. When we meet someone who is present, who is actually here with us, we can feel that person’s sense of peace, quiet, and well-being. And when we meditate, we discover that still, small place. It is very rare to encounter, and it shouldn’t be a surprise how little wisdom and compassion there is around us.  If we wish to do something really positive, it is here that we need to begin: developing and nurturing that space from which that compassion and that wisdom arise.”
- Lama Michael Conklin