Janet Carson's Blog: Enchanted Pages with Janet Carson - Posts Tagged "self-discovery"

Thich Nhat HanhA Deeper Dive into why I wrote the poem, A Symphony of Love and Compassion

When I wrote A Symphony of Love and Compassion, I wanted to express that love, in its truest form, is not possession or perfection. It is presence, patience, and understanding.
A Symphony of Love and Compassion
A love so pure, its kindness is boundless loving.
A love so deep, vast with empathetic joy.
In a sea of intense, fiery blue, equanimity reigns.
In emerald waters, calm compassion sustains.
Lost within the depths of each other's soul.
In a sea of azure, endless love so pure.
This poem was inspired by the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Zen Buddhist monk and peace activist whose writings have profoundly shaped my understanding of love and mindfulness. His Four Elements of True Love are loving-kindness (maitri), compassion (karuna), sympathetic joy (mudita), and equanimity (upekkha) offer a timeless path toward healing and connection.
Gratitude for Thich Nhat Hanh
I am deeply grateful to Thich Nhat Hanh for giving the world these beautiful tenets. His life’s work reminds us that understanding is the essence of love. Before we can truly love another, we must learn to care for ourselves, to cultivate inner peace, to listen deeply, and to be fully present.
How These Tenets Reflect Chiara and Nikolai’s Love
In my novel Ashes and Amaranth, the connection between Chiara and Nikolai reflects these same principles.
Loving-kindness
They seek to bring peace and happiness to one another, even through pain and uncertainty.
Compassion
Each recognizes and gently holds the other’s suffering, allowing healing to unfold through empathy.
Sympathetic Joy
They find joy in each other’s light, celebrating moments of growth and discovery together.
Equanimity
Their love expands into freedom; a love not rooted in control but in deep trust and acceptance.
Love, when expressed through these elements, becomes a spiritual practice, a shared awakening. It is the meeting of two souls who see one another clearly and, in doing so, illuminate the world around them.
While some may overlook or misinterpret art and poetry, true beauty arises when love itself becomes mindful. When we allow it to be compassionate, joyful, and free, love becomes the most powerful force for healing and transformation.

With love and gratitude,
Janet Carson
Author of Ashes and Amaranth