I was looking through a catalog of remainder books this morning and ran across a title I had not seen before: How to Sit by Thich Nhat Hanh.

Seeing that title got me to recall how important just sitting has been over the past year–and how I have fallen out of the practice of starting the day with fifteen minutes of quiet, mindful sitting.

And that title also got me to recall that I had Thich Nhat Hanh’s Your True Home as an e-reader text on my phone, and how on many days these short reflections on mindfulness and being present had served to refocus my day.

And all of these thoughts also got me to recall that at this very moment, Thich Nhat Hanh is recovering from a major stroke, and that his sangha, Plum Village, has asked for his community to lend support through compassionate, mindful practice.

Whether or not you believe in living saints or bodhisattvas, I have always felt that Thich Nhat Hanh is one of the most Enlightened people on this earth of ours at present. He has certainly lent wisdom, and peace, and compassion to my daily life. I was happy to spend some time today, if only for a few moments, in compassionate breathing for the man that thousands of practicing Buddhists affectionately call Thay.

Daily practice of anything is always a challenge, for me at least, which is why I have tried to keep to simple things. Today was a day of recalling. And today was a day, as well, of recommitting to simple practices of sitting, breathing, and being present.