Over the audience, I see that there are quite a few white heads,

and you've already established your peaceful home,

and probably there are times when your home seems very quiet.

But we do want to cultivate a peaceful home.

Many years ago, I was living in a clearing in the eastern jungle of Ecuador

with people who had very peaceful homes.

They were the Alka Indians who had killed my husband.

Valerie was three, and she picked up the language within a very few weeks, as children know how to do.

She spoke English and Kichua, an Indian language, and she quickly put me to shame in learning

Alka.

So whenever I didn't understand what one of the Alcas had said, I could ask Valerie.

She would correct me.

Well, the Alcas had no walls, no floors, and no furniture.

So it was very easy to see what was going on all day and most of the night.

We kept fires in our houses, all of us, about 24 hours a day.

There was virtually no fighting or arguing, no signs of jealousy.

A man named Dabu had three wives who lived in the house next door to Valerie and me. Each of his

wives had her own hammocks and her own children, all of them around the central fire. Dabu's

three women were dearest friends, and I never saw any contention between the three of them.

There was no dishonesty. If you're totally naked and you live in a house with no walls,

everybody knows everything.

But let me quickly assure you that I didn't go naked.

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