Throughout the past few days, I’ve been thinking a lot about peace. While many of us have somewhat of a perceived understanding as to what peace is, very few people understand what peace means. I believe peace is not shared enough in society today. Peace needs to be created everyday in order to maintain it throughout humanity.
The day after I arrived in Indianapolis, there was a peace rally being held downtown. I read in the newspaper that the rally took place in the city and shockingly, only 50 people attended. I was surprised that in such a large city there was so little a response to an honest effort.
Peace has to be created within ourselves to be maintained in our neighborhoods and beyond. We have to take the steps and follow through with action. It is not enough to talk about peace or idealistic values. It is interesting that many people I meet along the way are not interested in spreading peace, even in the simplest of ways.
I want to pose the question, do we wait for something violent or negatively life altering to happen before we respond? Or, do we create an environment where we can communicate with one another in a peaceful spirit at all times. We should maintain this practice and open relationships between borders, boundaries, and social circles.
When I started thinking about peace, my mind travels back to that Great Elm Tree down in Haverford, Pennsylvania. I remember the great and immense rush of feelings of unity and peace while standing underneath its branches. That tree serves as a nature made symbol of peace and despite storms and changing seasons, it lives on and prospers.
Peace can prosper and live on just like the Great Elm. People could practice acting as a good people in good faith. People could greet a perfect stranger as they pass by or smile at someone they don’t know at all. People walk by each other, sit by each other, and live around each other without recognizing each other as creatures, neighbors, and a collective body of the human spirit.
Peace is more than just a break from war or a group of people not fighting at a certain time. Peace is recognizing the precious gift of communication among every individual. Peace is sharing thoughts and ideas with perfect strangers. Peace is finding ways to support individuals who spread the message of peace.
Peace is living each day in a state of unity which once united different peoples of different walks of life under a Great Elm Tree and beyond its branches.
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A thought concerning peace and friendship…….every time you smile at someone it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing….Mother Teresa