Today is International Peace Day.
A day to promote peace, to be peaceful- or at least peaceable- and a day to try to perpetuate peace. Because here in Canada, we are fortunate. We know peace, and, realistically we have had peace in our land for almost as long as we've been a country. Sure, we were involved in wars- particularly the world wars, and more recently, in other wars as "peace keeping units." And then I thought what would happen if we all, as Canadians and even global citizens, were indivudually operating as peace keepers all the time? What would that look like?
I'd imagine we would treat other people with a lot more respect. We would come to the aid of others as soon as we notice a need we could meet. We would extend grace and forgiveness more quickly than sarcasm and snappy responses. We would sit, wait, and think before doing anything that another person might interpret as hostile, and we would reflect on our actions more thoughtfully as we would want to be aware of their effects. Idealistic? maybe. But every movement that has ever swept the masses has started with one thought, from one person, that became one choice to do one action. As we're teaching the youth of today- yes, one person can make a difference. And, that being true, it means that "world peace" is more than just a "one day maybe" kind of hope.
But you can't give what you don't have. So how can I find peace in my own life? How do we escape the stress of the day/week/month and pursue peace as individuals? We discussed it with the class today, and our pre-teens broke it down into 4 main categories that, I think, we can all be more aware of. First, take care of your body. Rest. Eat healthy. Drink water. Take deep breaths. Bathe. Exercise. When you feel like a fight, go for a run. Second, take care of your mind. Schedule breaks. Relax. Whisper more. Do one thing at a time. Meditate. Pray. Learn about things that interest you. Stay organized. Prioritize. Be optimistic. Stay positive. Third, take care of your environment. Plant a garden. Keep a clean room/house. Declutter your closets and pass on things you don't want/need to people who can use them. Stay organized. Walk more. Be purposeful with your time and energy. Volunteer. Be honest with people. Maintain relationships with the people who matter to you. And finally: know when you need to step back and disengage for a while. Choose to live differently. Pursue peace. And carry that candle with you out into your world. World Peace in my life-time? I think it's possible.
Happy International Peace Day.
