There are parts of this book that I agree with and think could be very helpful to myself immediately, but I think there is some perspective unaccounted for through the advice given. No matter the situation, mindfulness, breathing, loving kindness, and care and understanding for our hurt inner child can improve the way we feel about and conduct ourselves, particularly in relation to others. As much as we have been hurt and as angry as we might be, we don’t have to perpetuate that suffering by relaying it onto others. In the broadest sense, knowing the ways I have experienced emotional pain encourages me to listen and do my best to only share love, care, and kindness with others. I think the reminder that good intentions sometimes fall short is valuable, and a certain humility must be considered if we genuinely care to address the ways we unintentionally hurt others. At the same time, there is comfort in the inevitability that mistakes will happen and what matters more is what we do next to promote healing.

All of this said, a solution for when someone continually engages in harming others and won’t come to the table with mindfulness is not offered. Perhaps I’m limited in perspective to begin with and with time I’ll find more peace within myself so that I can better address the obvious hurting in someone who does much to hurt me. Perhaps greater insight can be pieced together by reading the other short books from this series.

I wish everyone would read this book and/or align themselves with the practices of mindfulness in their relationships because then we could truly work towards the constructive future of love and care this book suggests could be possible. Working on mindfulness practices to continually meet hurtful interactions with love is something that could be done, but at this moment I feel like I would still need an outlet for the pain caused or an alternate source of compassion to address that hurt.