The third memory that I recall was the impending death of a young man on death row in Angola, Louisiana. He had done some horrible things—murdering two people. I went to visit him to see if I could write a report on mitigating circumstances surrounding his two murders, The words written above are about my visit. I do not pretend to be a problem-solver, but Henry taught me how we all want to go home. He spent most of the time simply mumbling to me, “… want to go home.” This too is what Gentle Teaching is about, a sense of being at home and a hunger to always go home.

At such a terrifying moment the simplicity of wanting to go home summarizes succinctly our human hunger to be with those whom we love. I found it so miraculous that this young man, at the worst moment of his life, simply wanted to be at home with his mother. Even though he had done two horrible wrongs, his mind and heart wanted to fly back to the tender arms of his mother.

I left the small green room where we had sat amazed at our civilization so willing and ready to take his life. A life for a life does not seem to be an act of justice and a way to help the least among us and to set a nonviolent example for our children.