This charming little book began life as a letter Thich Nhat Hanh wrote to a monk as a sort of introduction to mindfulness. One would expect, then, that his suggestions to treat various aspects of monastic life as opportunities to practice mindfulness would not be applicable to lay folk, but it turns out this is not the case. Washing the dishes, for example, is a great activity for practice, putting our focus on each item, rather than that cup of tea or whatever we might plan to do when we’re done. Indeed, he says, if we’re always thinking (or worrying) about what’s next, then we’re never really living. Nhat Hanh’s gentle, evocative prose is instantly soothing, in a way I can only compare to the speech of Fred Rogers. It encourages one to devote more of oneself to practicing mindfulness in everyday life.

Supplementing the main text is an illuminating introduction and a brilliant afterword, written by a couple of Nhat Hanh’s students, as well as some poignant excerpts from the Sutras, but perhaps most importantly, an excellent collection of suggested meditation exercises. This is a book I will return to again and again.