Douglas Carlton Abrams

What an eye-opening book. I grew up Buddhist and have always been a fan of the Dalai Lama and his wisdom. But I never knew much about Archbishop Desmond Tutu. But I definitely have a newfound respect for both of these amazing world leaders, who teach us how to be at peace with ourselves, and find happiness in a world full of suffering and negativity. Such inspiring stories of how these two men survived through apartheid and exile, and yet still remain positive and joyful.

These days, we're so focused on external stimuli...material goods, making more money, focusing on ourselves. And yet, we're more depressed than ever before, despite the façade of "having everything". They teach in this book that compassion is key, as is giving, even when we have nothing. The eight pillars of joy is something I'll definitely be remembering for a long, long time. And the guide on meditation at the end is just what I needed in these stressful times.

So even though we can't change what's going on around us, or how other people behave, we can change ourselves. And change comes from the inside, and changing our mindset. I've slowly been moving toward this change of mindset myself, and while it's not an overnight change, the words spoken in this book give you plenty to think about. Highly recommended, and I know I'll be referring to this book whenever I need a reminder!… (meer)