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We can learn the art of fierce compassion - redefining strength, deconstructing isolation and renewing a sense of community, practicing letting go of rigid us-vs.-them thinking - while cultivating power and clarity in response to difficult situations.

With renunciation life begins.

Lives have been altered in fundamental ways, and later, after they acquire a more complete understanding of what goals are actually attainable, many are left facing a lot of pain and frustration. And yet, there's no culture of complaint.

Talking through troubles, staying calm in the face of adversity, that's what my father taught me. It's an invaluable lesson because there's no shortage of adversity and mistakes to be dealt with.

Buddhism teaches you to embrace change.

Renunciation remains sorrow, though a sorrow borne willingly.

We now accept the fact that learning is a lifelong process of keeping abreast of change. And the most pressing task is to teach people how to learn.

Our culture has become increasingly intolerant of that acute sorrow, that intense mental anguish and deep remorse which may be defined as grief. We want to medicate such sorrow away.

Everyone wants to learn the same thing from painful situations: how to avoid repeating them.

We must learn to regard people less in light of what they do or omit to do, and more in the light of what they suffer.