WE WOULD like to take a moment to thank you, our readers, for being on this journey with us. We’d also like to thank our friends who volunteered to help us in writing this book, contributing questions, favorite quotes and much more. Thank you especially to Debbie Carter, Amanda Bogardus, Donna Rizzardini, Martha Black-Zapata, Paul Black, Natasha Ginnivan, and Claire Roberts.
I would like to thank my family and friends who have encouraged me as I have researched and thought up creative ways to share the wise words of His Holiness. Thank you, Mom, for encouraging me to read The Art of Happiness so many years ago and Dad, Leighanna, and Elias for all the great conversations.
Thank you, Pawan, for your help and inspiration launching our Facebook page as we explored sharing His Holiness’ words; Brian, for your dedication to launching our iPhone app; and Dede, of course, for making this wonderful book a reality.
Lastly I’d like to thank my wife Tunga, who continues to inspire me every day to better understand the simple but profound teachings of the Dalai Lama, simply by being the most wonderful person I’ve ever met.
We could not have done this without the teachings, openness, and accessibility of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. I will never forget the first time I saw the Dalai Lama, walking onto the stage at Middlebury College in the fall of 2012. He bowed to us, the audience; he was wearing the college’s baseball cap (or was it the Boston Red Sox?), and the audience stood and clapped and clapped. I watched him from the reporters’ box, pen in hand. I was so caught up in the emotion of seeing His Holiness on the stage, I could not write a thing. I could only cry, I was that moved; I was totally unprepared for the feelings that overcame me. I left after the talk, but the teachings and the inspiration are still a part of me, each and every day. This book is a gift—a way of giving back to His Holiness, but also to reach many readers all over the globe.
We wish to acknowledge the following people for their invaluable help in getting this book written, edited, and finally published.
First, and foremost, we would like to thank our publisher, Andrew Flach, for his unflagging support and for believing in our book. Our editorial team was superb: editor Anna Krusinski, along with support from Ryan Kennedy, and Ryan Tumambing of Hatherleigh Press, helped us bring this book into the world.
I would like to thank my husband and children, Steve, Sam, Emma, and Joey Carmichael; my parents, Shirley Ellis Cummings and the late Robert Cummings; my dear friend and inspiration, Lauren Alderfer, along with Travis of course for stepping up to the plate and doing amazing work to foster the teachings of the Dalai Lama.
Last, but not least, I’d like to thank Marit Cranmer, Steven Rockefeller, John Elder, Steven Brock, Middlebury College, Vermont Public Radio, Sonam Zoksang, Dr. Tara Doyle, Rajiv Mehrotra, and the wonderful poeple who work with His Holiness; and most of all, I wish to thank His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama, for bring his teachings and philosophy out into the world, and helping the people of Tibet reclaim their soverignity.