I met Charles Halpern when, as president of the Nathan Cummings Foundation, he supported a rich and productive dialogue between prominent Tibetans here in Dharamsala and representatives of the world Jewish community. Such imaginative initiatives are typical of a life dedicated to positive social change. In this new book, Making Waves and Riding the Currents, he shows the importance of fostering basic human values like compassion in our relations with others and of working to generate inner peace. If we are able to do this, we will make our lives and our work meaningful, and ultimately contribute to the welfare of all living beings.