Unexpected Grace: Healing Through Thich Nhat Hanh’s Wisdom

I heard recently that “grace doesn't age”. This was used to explain when grace isn't felt in the moment of being worked on by God it will eventually be felt and have meaning. Delayed gracification if you will,(play on delayed gratification).

I've never considered myself a sensitive person until recently. My high school friends and I adopted the motto of “there are no sensitive subjects, just sensitive people” as an in-your-face guide to life. While it felt good at the time it took decades to learn that this wasn't serving me very well. It frequently felt like a collision against the essence of my truer self.

I would take so much of what I heard and saw personally. I would react defensively and work to justify my existence. While describing my behaviors to a friend, they told me I was just playing an old tape in my head. The topic of healing my inner child eventually came up. I acted upon that by searching the library system for books on inner child healing.

I chose to read “Reconciliation: Healing the inner Child" by Thich Nhat Hanh. The book went in a direction that I wouldn't have guessed. When I finished reading it, I could eventually observe how my reactions to things changed for the positive and taking things personally was significantly reduced. I can't articulate why reading the book had the effect it did.

I don't ever recall seriously praying to God for the healing that did come from this. I had a vulnerable share with a like-minded person and I followed up with an action not expecting anything significant to result. Maybe vulnerability, openness, and willingness is a form of prayer.