Peace

We speak of peace often in our society and worldwide; however, do we each understand what peace is? Beauty queens sing it, preachers preach it, and politicians argue for it. It slips from everyone's lips, but we utter a different meaning each and every time. My peace may not be your peace and our peace may have no pieces in our neighbors peace.

I requested other's definition of peace and got a few answers. "Knowing my spouse and children have what they need," and "loving myself" were some. Another believed it unattainable if you were a living human. Others were at peace when their bills were paid or from the satisfaction they felt from helping another person. While all these lead to a comforting end are they peace?

Peace varies from person to person, family to family, nation to nation, all across our earth. Peace is the mountain standing highest for us to see. It has remained steady and claims the character of the most enlightened people. Yet, no one actually knows its true definition.

While we cannot define peace, we certainly can define what it isn't. The neighborhood drunk disturbs the peace, nations destroy another's peace, and all will finally rest in peace. Simply defining the opposite of destroying peace does not define it.

We cannot define peace simply because so doing destroys it! My peace is mine, your peace is yours. Peace has a meaning all its own within the minds of each and everyone of us. We seek it, we fight for it, but only if our own peace is destroyed by another's peace being taken. It is our soul. There is always peace in us; yes, every moment in our lives is at peace. Every moment we live, every dream we create is our peace. When we resist the peace within us, turmoil happens. It is when we fight against our peace that we lose it.

Peace is single. Each piece of another's peace makes the network of peace in our world.

We have long attempted to define this matterless spirit. Each of us shares in this spirit the world and universe over. Yes, we can lose it and also reclaim it. Our peace is us! With our peace, we can come into harmony with one another.

Just as beautiful music takes harmony, so does the network of peace. Our peace is individually different, but the tune from each sings the beautiful harmony. While we cannot define it, we can develop and encourage it. In a world as eclectic as ours, acceptance and encouragement of another is the only way the song can be heard. We may not like each other, we may completely disagree, but the easiest way I can find to "define" peace is: Agreeing to disagree.

This is how I define peace. Certainly, my definition is much different than others expected. Of course, I love moments of tranquility and rest. Love from seeing my family's individual triumphs, but peace to me is agreeing to disagree with another. I do give up my peace momentarily when I humor a loud argument (disagreeing to disagree). I give it up foolishly and regret it when I do. The "path to peace" is quite simply non-action. While I certainly am willing to die for many things and will intervene when necessary, I am giving up my peace when I do. If I give you my peace accept it for the worthy gift it is.

My friends described their peace and most likely think I am slightly aloof, but that is ok. That is why we are friends, we come together in beautiful harmony. Harmony is used synonymously with peace, but these words are quite different. Just as our voices have different tones and pitches, so does our peace. We can fight for our "peace voices" to be heard, but we cannot fight for or against another's peace.

To Close:

While we may not like our neighbor, we are here together. While we may view the world different, it is the same. While we desire different, it is the same. Unity, harmony, and peace are here, there is no way to stop it, you will only destroy yourself. Live your life as you see fit and allow another to live the unity, harmony, and peace within themselves.