Walking in Love in France

I think if I lived in Plum Village they might ring a few bells
more than usual.  For a while, anyway.  There, each time you
hear the sound of a bell, regardless of its source, it is
a reminder to come to the moment.  Rather than hurrying
faster to answer a telephone's urgent brrringg, even this bell
is a reminder to purposely slow your pace and teach
the telephone to wait.  I think those well-practiced in this
method of emergency response would see my inner struggle
and would ring more bells to help.  I do not think they would stand
me in a corner the way my first grade teacher did when
I could not help exploding with intention for life.  At Plum
Village, I think squelching with shame is frowned upon.  I think
when the bells ring and they slow down, it is so they will
remember to hold one another, and themselves, with love.