My meetings with Tila happened at different times and places, depending on when our schedules overlapped. On this occasion, I met him at the entrance of the meditation centre, where he was staying.
Tila was quite excited: “Today I am going to tell you about a good friend of yours who you have not met for a long while!”
Utterly surprised, I tried to guess who this mystery friend could be, but no names came to mind. I could not imagine any of my close friends visiting the meditation centre without telling me.
With true puzzlement, I asked, “I cannot even begin to imagine who this could be. Are you sure it is a friend of mine?”
“Of course, I am sure. In fact, this particular friend is very close to you and is very important in your life. However, I suspect that you have been ignoring this friend for quite a while. Okay, let me break the suspense now. The friend that I am referring to is actually your ‘mind’. Many of us, and perhaps you too, forget that our mind needs appreciation and care. Your mind is an important friend you need to know well if you want to find happiness. I suspect that you have not really paid attention to your mind over the years, and perhaps your friendship with it has grown quite cold. However, in the coming days, as we discuss how to find happiness, you will better understand your mind, and your friendship with it will be reestablished. So, in the days ahead, when you come to see me, don’t forget to bring your friend along. Without your mind, we won’t make much progress towards finding happiness.