Is Peace Possible in Today’s World?

 

Kindness is the golden chain by which

society is bound together.

              ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

A song was a part of my growing up years, and it became a part of who I am. It invites us to contribute to the creation of peace in the world. This can seem overwhelming if we think about how insignificant we each are amidst millions of people, but it is empowering if we understand that we all have an impact on the world immediately around us by every action we take.

Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.

Let there be peace on earth, the peace that was meant to be.

We all have been longing for peace in our lives, wanting to live in a world of kindness, cooperation, and mutual support. At this time in our history, such an idea seems impossible. By focusing on the smaller world of our daily lives, we can move out of disbelief into the realm of possibility. That’s where everything begins – with us.

With God as our Father, brothers all are we.

 Let me walk with my brother in perfect harmony.

The key to peace is remembering that we are related to each other, even those we do not yet know. That requires us to expand the way we view each other, enlarging our circle of kinship.

Let’s begin with our daily lives – with family, neighbors, co-workers, and those we meet casually during the day. Everyone has stresses in their lives, so we can begin by adding a little kindness to smooth the way a bit.

When we’re stressed or frustrated with what is going on in our lives or in the world around us, we tend to be short-tempered and impatient with each other. We can begin there. We can decide to give each other a break and not react unkindly when someone releases their frustration on us.

So, how do we do that when we’re stressed, too?

It takes practice, but we CAN do it, if it’s important to us. It begins with recognizing that the unkind words coming at us is the other person releasing some of their stress on us. I’ve done that myself – taken out my frustration on people close to me. Remembering that makes it easier for me to understand what someone else is feeling.

With that awareness, it is easier to respond with kindness. Instead of reacting with

a negative retort, we can reply with a kind remark, or even just ignore a negative comment.

We can even extend kindness to people who hold different political views. I know this is hard for most of us these days, but that may be the arena in which we most desperately need kindness.

It is hard to disregard the conflict and hostility that is growing in the world around us. We care about issues that trigger anger – in ourselves as well as others. I am not suggesting that we stop caring about those issues. I won’t stop caring and speaking out about my vision of the way forward.

But we can live more peacefully with those who hold opposite views. We can see beyond the politics. We can choose to see each other as whole human beings, all wanting a good life for ourselves and our families. We can also wonder about others - who they are in their daily lives.

One of our best friends holds political views opposite from ours, and he is one of the kindest people we know. If all we knew about him were his politics, we would not have imagined he could be a good friend. How much we would have missed out on by that judgment.

Let peace begin with me, let this be the moment now.

With every step I take, let this be my solemn vow.

To take each moment and live each moment with peace eternally.

We live our daily lives moment by moment. They provide the opportunities to practice kindness when others are acting with impatience or even anger. I know from experience that even kind people are sometimes impatient and short-tempered. Imagine how much they would appreciate a kind word instead of a harsh reply.

It is not just the actions of others that cause negative responses in us. We are sometimes triggered by our judgments of how some people show up in our lives. A homeless person sleeping in our neighborhood is seen as a threat rather than a brother or sister who needs a little compassion. An angry person shouting in a store near us is seen as dangerous, but perhaps is just crying out for help. How can we reframe the way we see each other?

When we remember that we are all part of the human family, we are better able to wonder about others. What is happening in their life? What trauma and pain has led them to this behavior? What do they need that they are not getting?

Wondering helps us to have compassion, no matter how a person is behaving. I am reminded of a quote from Father Greg Boyle, “How do we achieve a compassion that allows us to stand in awe of what the poor have to carry rather than stand in judgment of how they carry it?”

This is asking a lot. Can we do this?

There is no right or wrong way, and there is no timer clicking away, measuring our progress. We each need to find our own way of meeting this opportunity to expand our kindness practice. It is a journey, and we each walk it the best way we know how.

But it helps to remember that every time we respond to others with kindness, we are adding to the peace in the world - with every thought, every act.

Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.

 

Image of the egret by dae jeung kim of Pixabay

 

What are your thoughts?  Please leave a comment below.

 

Help us spread the message of kindness.

If you know others who might appreciate these ideas, please share below.

 

We’re grateful that you are on this journey with us.

With love from our hearts to yours,

Pat and Larry