In April of 2004, I bought tickets to go see the Dalai Lama speak at the CNE in Toronto. The date conflicted with both my Father’s birthday and my volleyball team’s playoffs but I bought the tickets anyway. 

The day was cold, rainy, and windy. There was security everywhere around the stadium. Parking was a challenge.

My longtime high school friend accompanied me. The event was sold out, standing room only and we had terrible seats. It felt like we were miles from the stage. Everything was running late due to traffic tie ups, security checks and what seemed like general chaos.

Finally after a few speeches and introductions from the event organizers, the Dalai Lama came on stage. The stage was set with comfortable chairs, meant to look like someone’s living room. Sometimes he spoke directly to the audience and sometimes he used his interpreter.

And suddenly, none of the chaos, the weather, the terrible seats, or even the language barrier mattered. He had such presence. It began to feel like we were right beside him in that living room. 

He spoke about inner peace and world peace; apparently there is no difference. The title of his talk was The Power of Compassion.

He told a story about staying as a guest in an American home. He said the house was large and beautiful, cars in the driveway, all signs of an affluent life. When he used the bathroom, the medicine cabinet door was ajar.

The Dalai Lama confessed to peeking. What he saw in the medicine cabinet surprised him. Lots and lots of pills and some anti-depressants. He made the point that should be obvious, but isn’t always — affluence is not a guarantee of happiness.

His main point? Everyone wants to have a happy life. Terrorists, artists, florists, pharmacists, physicists. Everyone. Start with that thought when you are meeting someone different from you, whether you are a world leader negotiating peace talks, or two co-workers sorting out differences.

“Everyone wants a happy life.”

The experience was worth the chaos.

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Anne Milne is an every Sunday blogger.  I keep it short and to the point.  Topics are as wide ranging as a straight but not narrow path.