Watching fireworks over the 4th of July holiday, a 6-year-old asked me why were there fireworks and I said, “We are celebrating winning the war against England.”
“Why was there a war?” came the next question. And I started to think about war and peace and why we fight.
The Buddha said, “Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”
And I wonder what am I seeking outside myself that is really to be found deep within. How can I know and share myself more fully?
Saint Francis de Sales said, “Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.”
And I wonder why I focus on the upset of the world. Where is my inner peace?
Lyndon B. Johnson said, “Peace is a journey of a thousand miles and it must be taken one step at a time.”
And I wonder about where this journey will take me. Can I see the next step?
The Dalai Lama said, “We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.”
And I wonder how each day to find peace within myself. What is the connection between inner peace and world peace?
Nelson Mandela said, “If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.”
And I wonder who have I made my partner and who have I made an enemy. Who do we work with towards peace?
John F. Kennedy said, “Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures.”
And I wonder what old opinions am I ready to give up. Do we see where our hands and hearts can contribute to the new structures? Are we building new structures and eroding old barriers?
Desmond Tutu said, “If you want peace, you don’t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.”
And I wonder who are my friends and who do I in my mind make my enemies. Who do we talk to?
Mother Teresa said, “Peace begins with a smile.”
And I wonder how to smile and laugh with more people. What else begins with a smile?
And I wonder …
