Thich Nhat Hanh 90th birthday photo

The beloved Vietnamese Zen teacher Thich Nhat Hanh turned 90 yesterday. He has been living peacefully at his retreat center in the south of France after a stroke nearly two years ago set off a long and steady period of recovery, partially spent in the care of expert physicians in the US.

All has been quiet from Thich Nhat Hanh and his students in France in recent months, but yesterday this photo of him enjoying a meal surrounded by friends circulated on Reddit.

As one commenter there writes, “Seeing all those smiling faces, i couldn’t help but smile too. I feel the metta. Happy birthday Thay. Metta and mudita.”

Indeed, a great light in the world continues to shine and the resulting smiles continue to spread around the world.