Not long ago I came across this very simple statement from the Buddha in a book by the great Vietnamese teacher Thich Nhat Hanh:

Love is understanding.

I find this to be such a beautiful statement and I think it reveals a lot about how the practice of meditation can change the world and make us more loving. Here are a few reflections…

Do you sometimes feel in a stranglehold of overwhelm? So pressed for time that meditation feels like an unwarranted diversion from the important affairs of life?

The very thought of meditation may begin to spark annoyance. And the actual act may feel excruciatingly painful.  When all the demands of life start pressing in, meditation can appear like an enemy on the battleground of life.

You came to meditation for a reason. You know that meditation is "good" for you, yet you resent the time it takes away from your real-world obligations.

How do you get through this?