— Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you… When I was young, those words used to irritate me… divinely ironic… How could I possibly be at peace when my life was nothing but suffering, when the whole world seemed to conspire against me to spoil even the tiniest drop of happiness I managed to salvage? A lifetime has nearly passed, with its both joyful and painful experiences, encounters, and readings—teaching me, through harsh slaps and voluptuous caresses alike, notions that at first seemed utterly incomprehensible… and my gaze has changed, turning ever deeper inward… As we return to the center, the amplitude of the oscillations weakens… Today, my wounds nearly healed, my ego tamed, and acceptance and trust having worked their great cleansing, when I turn toward the past, I hear echoing in my mind: “All is forgiven,” and toward the future: “All will be well… forever.” Then the smile that, for some years now, has found a home upon my lips stretches wider, and… I find myself...
