His life continues to this day in many wonderful ways. He designed and built, for instance, the room in which our New Orleans Sangha meets. In the years since that time, I have come to see, especially with the help of Thay Nhat Hanh's teachings, that for me the practice of gratitude in all circumstances is a fundamental and indispensable practice. I know that nearly everyone of you can recount experiences similar to mine of pain, grief, and loss. Life is at times difficult for us all.
Life is dukkha.
That is the First Noble Truth.