Regarding Peace
When my son was three or four years, he asked me what peace was. I remember the day distinctly because it was one of those questions like why do we die? or why some people suffer? which leaves you uncomfortable, leave you feeling that there is no one answer that can adequately summarize the reasons for these things.
I remember looking to the sky for inspiration. I often look at the sky at such moments. It usually does not let me down, but that day he looked at me with her always smiling like a blue curtain spring freshly washed and I could see no answers in its immensity.
No answers, but the blue sky. And it occurred to me that this might be the answer – the flawless blue. So I tried to see how it would take.
Peace is when people can stand and watch the sky and marvel at the beautiful blue without fear that someone will come and tell them to stop or make them go somewhere where they can longer see the sky. Peace is being able to watch the sky and not fear.
Simplistic, I know. Insufficient. Passes to side. However, my explanation has remained part of the way my son regarding peace. He put his own spin on it since it has aged. When he catches the news in areas torn by war, he often speaks of people who live there are unable to enjoy a sunny day, or to notice the flowers growing wild along the road or joy to hear the songs of birds.
It is not their fault, "he said. They are too preoccupied to enjoy these things because there is no peace.
So what is peace?
Is it the absence of war or armed conflict or occupation of your country?
IS is a mental condition or a physical disability?
Should it be visible?
We should feel a shiver of apprehension that we bandy about the term because we know in our hearts that peace that we really think of when we say the word – the kind even the blue sky of peace – is inaccessible in this imperfect world, we are in?
There must be a chance for him. There must be a chance for people around the world to feel at least once in their life.
We speak so often of peace in our country rooted in democracy. We will again and again on liberty and freedom and our rights. But do we really understand what it would mean to experience such things? For the experiment, perhaps ever.
Perhaps the answer lies in the flawless blue. Maybe we are destined to look up one of the most amazing ever we see and breathe in the wonder of it. And feel at peace. And hope that others feel the same. Perhaps that thought is where we begin.
Perhaps that thought leads to another and another. And yet another.
Perhaps that thought is all we have to say – enough. This is not the right people have to live without peace.
Perhaps that thought will lead to action enough for one day we can say to anyone in the world – go in peace – and to know with certainty that this state is possible.
Maybe I’m a dreamer.
But maybe, just maybe, the tenacious, brilliant, tough blue is really the place to start.
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Posted by Jeff / Hope