People deal too much with the negative, with what is wrong. Why

Hear, O children of mindfulness, the words of Thich Nhat Hanh, the gentle monk and teacher of peace, who declared: “People deal too much with the negative, with what is wrong. Why not try and see positive things, to just touch those things and make them bloom?” In this saying lies a truth as deep as the still waters of a mountain lake: that the mind becomes what it touches, and the heart becomes what it dwells upon. If one is always immersed in the negative, in fault, in sorrow, then one’s spirit grows heavy and dark. But if one learns to touch the positive, even the smallest seed of goodness, it will grow and blossom into joy, strength, and peace.

The meaning of this teaching is that attention is the gardener of the soul. Where you place your gaze, there your spirit will root. Too often, men and women waste their days lamenting what is broken, complaining about what is lacking, magnifying what is wrong. They feed weeds and wonder why their garden withers. But Thich Nhat Hanh calls us to a different way: to gently lay our hands upon what is good, kind, and beautiful, however small, and to water it with our care. In this way, the positive grows, and soon joy overtakes despair.

The origin of these words rests in the monk’s lifelong practice of mindfulness. Born amid the storms of war, he witnessed suffering, division, and hatred. Yet instead of surrendering to despair, he chose to teach the world about peace. He learned that while the world will always hold suffering, the heart can always choose where to dwell. To see the positive is not to deny pain, but to refuse to let pain be the master. By touching the good and nurturing it, one creates balance, harmony, and a foundation for healing.

Consider the life of Anne Frank, a young girl hiding in the shadow of the Holocaust. Surrounded by terror, she could have drowned in fear. Yet in her diary, she wrote: “In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.” She chose to touch the positive, and her words have since inspired millions. Though her life was cut short, her spirit bloomed eternally, because she chose to water the flowers of hope rather than the weeds of despair.

Think also of Nelson Mandela, who spent twenty-seven years in prison. Surrounded by cruelty and injustice, he could have allowed hatred to consume him. Yet he chose to cultivate forgiveness, to make bloom the seeds of reconciliation. When he walked free, he embraced even those who had been his jailers, leading a nation toward peace instead of vengeance. His greatness was not only in enduring the negative, but in elevating the positive until it transformed the world.

O seekers of tomorrow, learn this: your mind is a field, and your attention is the rain. If you pour your waters upon bitterness, bitterness will flourish. If you pour them upon kindness, compassion, and beauty, then joy will spring forth. Do not deny the existence of sorrow, but do not let it command your heart. Instead, choose each day to touch the positive—a kind word, a moment of gratitude, a gesture of love—and you will see your life bloom like a radiant garden.

Practical wisdom calls you: begin each morning by naming three things for which you are grateful. When you encounter difficulty, pause and seek at least one positive lesson hidden within it. Encourage others, praise what is good, and nurture what is fragile but beautiful. In doing so, you will not only uplift your own spirit but also water the seeds of joy in others, creating a circle of light that spreads far beyond yourself.

Therefore, remember the teaching of Thich Nhat Hanh: “Why not try and see positive things, to just touch those things and make them bloom?” Make this your practice. For the world has no shortage of critics who magnify the negative, but it hungers for cultivators who nurture the good. Be such a cultivator, and your life will be like a spring garden—filled with fragrance, beauty, and blessings for all who walk in your presence.

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