Thoughts are Signature Bearers

"Most of our thinking carries us away from the present moment. We get lost in the past and the future. This kind of thinking prevents us from being truly alive. In this context we can say: "I think, therefore I am not there." But there is also positive thinking that helps us look into the nature of things and understand the present moment.

In Buddhism, we call this kind of thinking "right thinking." What is right thinking? It is the kind of thinking that helps you to understand more deeply, to be loving, to be compassionate, to be free. Right thinking reflects our deep understanding of reality. Right thinking reflects a situation as it is, free from wrong perceptions. It is possible to train ourselves to set our thinking right.

When painters create pieces of art, they always sign their names. In your daily life you produce thinking, speech, and action. Your thoughts are your creation and they always bear your name. If your thinking is right thinking, it is a good work of art. If you can produce a thought that is in the direction of understanding and compassion, that is your creation, your legacy. Looking into your thinking, whether it is right or wrong, we see your signature. Thsi is why in our daily life we have to be careful to produce thoughts that are in line with right thinking. You have an opportunity to produce right thinking in every moment of your life. It is what you transmit to your children and to the world.

Everything you say is also a product of your person. What you say may cause a lot of anger, despair, and pessimism, and that, too, bears your signature. With mindfulness, you can produce loving thought and speech that will bear your signature. "

Excerpt from Keeping the Peace by Thich Nhat Hanh