Hello, Spirit Travelers,
In this time of fear, terrorism, threats of war, threats of mass destruction and so on its sometimes difficult to figure out how to live. I have been thinking about this a lot lately. I have experienced close friends arguing bitterly about protesting war or supporting war. Some thoughts have come to me as I watch the anger escalate.
First, I have to admit that while I hate the thought of war and innocent people dying, I am in a place where I don’t really know the answer. My heart tells me that this war thing is not the answer, but I don’t believe I have all the information. I personally don’t believe that "we the people" ever do have all the information. I think that our leaders and our media tell us only what they want us to know.
So, while activism is one way of dealing with this, and I take my hat off to those of you who are called and led to march for peace, and protest war. I also believe there has to be a way for the average person to change the world in an average way. Here are my thoughts on this:
I don’t know if I really have a say on policy or policy-making. I used to think I did. I now don’t even know if I have a say on who gets elected. I used to think I did. What I know I have a say on is how I behave on a day to day basis with those I encounter each day. If I want peace, I need to BE peace. I need to be peace in the bank, in the grocery store, in my work place, at the gas station, on the road. How I think about the people I encounter in each of these places DOES change the world. The boy bagging my groceries may be president in 25 years, and how I treat him in the moment CAN effect National policy.
What right do I have to scream peace, if I’m sticking my finger up to someone in traffic? What right do I have to demand peace, if I’m rude to the cashier at the store? What right do I have to ask for peace, if I don’t treat the people I live with, with the dignity and respect that they deserve? What right do I have to think about peace, if I don’t treat others the way I want to be treated?
I think that if we are not BEING peace, we have no right to CRY peace.
Now imagine every person you come in contact with in a day, and imagine being peace in their presence, and the profound effect of that helping them to be peace with everyone they encounter. In a week thousands of people will be touched. One of my teachers, Sandra Ingerman, says it’s not what we do that changes the world, it’s what we become that changes the world.
Don’t lose hope, it can be done . . .
A letter from Dee Stennett