Life is what happens between monotony and miracles, as one sage put it.

Indeed, our lives are a collection of moments in time – some mundane and routine, some extraordinary, and many others. I’m not sure that we are shaped by every moment and every event of our lives, but certainly there is potential in each moment to impact us.

After a stagnant and difficult first date, I recall walking out of the Mexican restaurant with my date and saying to myself, “Give it one more try.”

We have seeds of character strengths within us. At least 24 of them. Some of these seeds have blossomed and are blooming fruit and beautiful flowers. Others lie dormant awaiting us to touch them with mindfulness.

Mindfulness and Thich Nhat Hanh’s “five mindfulness trainings” offer us an opportunity to cultivate these character strength “seeds” within us.

Consider a world in which people, groups and organizations bring careful intentionality to what they are doing. They listen to one another with strong compassion, and reflect deeply on the impact their words have on others.

Thich Nhat Hanh’s “five mindfulness trainings” are a recipe for mindful living as well as a striking vision for a global ethic. The potential impact of the trainings on society is significant. But they start with ourselves and our relationships.