Find Your Joy for Inner Peace 5

FindingJoyAppreciating the simple things in nature can bring joy if you open your heart and mind. It can help heal your soul so you can share your joy with others too. Lookup on a cloudy day and you just might see a rainbow. Take a deep breath after the rain clears the air. Enjoy the silence after the snow falls. Listen to the birds chirping early in the morning. I know if you try you can find something that will bring you joy.

Like many others I loved Pollyanna when I was younger. I especially loved how she focused on the “glad texts” of the Bible: “Shout for joy” or “Be glad in the Lord.”

Pollyanna told the Reverend, “And do you know, my father said that if God took the trouble to tell us eight hundred times to be glad and rejoice, He must have wanted us to do it.”

Yet, as an adult, I too have been guilty of forgetting the “glad texts.” Maybe, it is time to look them up again.

That is why my focus for this month’s peace challenge is joy.

I know you can find someone in your life or a character to model as you begin your own search for joy. Maybe you prefer Maria from The Sound of Music:

Dreaming Big for December Peace Challenge: Celebrating a World United By Love 8

After last month’s challenge of loving thy enemy, Kozo wants to give you a party.  

So this month’s challenge is to plan a party that will ripple peace to the world. Use everything in your imagination for this peace party. Here are a few ideas:

  • You can hold your party anywhere. Where would you host your peace party? How many people would be at the party?
  • You can invite any guest you want from the past, present, or future. Who will play music at the party? Who will contribute artwork for the party? Who will give speeches?
  • What food can you serve that would bring peace in its consumption?
  • What about a group activity at your party? Would you have everyone at the party participate in one action for peace?
  • Feel free to use images, videos, or music in your post to give others the idea of what your party would be like.
  • What combination of events, people, and place would bring about the most peace at your party? What if you had Bob Dylan perform a duet with Ysuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens)? What if you had a panel on compassion featuring Jesus, the Buddha, Muhammad, and Mother Teresa? Let your imagination run wild for peace.
  • What would you have at your party that would bring more joy, smiles, love, and peace into the world?

Don’t forget to link to at least one other B4Peace post and add your post to the Linkz collection.

A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination. — Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela’s life inspired many including me, so I dedicate this fictional post to his memory and the memory of everyone who has used peaceful means to change the world in a positive direction. I’m also taking creative liberties here and writing about a party after peace is a fact instead of a party to create peace. After all, if you’re going to dream, why not dream big?

Finally the world is at peace. Abusers and abused have all let go of their anger and replaced it with true forgiveness. All children now experience unconditional love and nurturing from the moment of conception allowing them to spread the love and nurturing to everyone they encounter. Religious, ethnic, and economic intolerance have vanished as people now see hearts and souls not just outer trimmings.

It’s time for a virtual world party. Everyone’s invited. Those who do not have Internet can go to public forums in their neighborhoods. Many are also holding mini-gatherings. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Pope Francis, and many other world leaders will address the world via a live broadcast. It’s a two-day holiday, a time for everyone to express their gratitude for a peaceful way of life.

We’re having close friends and family over, but we will also be connecting virtually with those who previously let us down and even with those who previously wounded us. It is time to celebrate change and the rebirth of kindness. We’ll be steaming the live performances of all of the wonderful parties that are taking place live in Sydney, Los Angeles, London, Kabul, Buenos Aires, Vienna, Beijing, Prague, Kuala Lumpur, etc.

Some famous musical artists are even performing new songs they wrote for the events. One of these is a song written and performed by Zhou Bichang of China, and Taylor Swift of America. Yo-Yo Ma will be performing with the Beijing Symphony Orchestra in Pyongyang, North Korea. Five years ago who would have thought this was possible?

Every city is serving ethnic foods that represents other parts of the world and many are serving dishes that represent sticking together like Japanese mochi and Cantonese gau (aka nian gao). The world plans to stick together for good this time.

And when the celebrations end, world leaders will continue organizing their communities to address global environmental issues. Most of the huge power companies have already switched to cleaner energy sources. Humanity is finally working together to heal all aspects of the world.

Monthly Peace Challenge Love Thy Enemy (Dear ______, I’m Really Trying …) 5

Dear _______,
I’m really trying to believe you have changed. I see signs that you have, but I am skeptical where both of you are concerned. I have believed in you in the past only to watch you crush my daughter’s spirit. She will be okay in the long run. I know because she is stronger than she seems. After all, she is my daughter.

Still, forgiving those who almost destroyed her is not an easy task especially when she has never received a sincere apology from either of you. One of you flatly refused to give her what she needs to heal more quickly. The other one tried to convince others that she made things sound worse than they really were. I know this is not true and so do you if you are honest with yourself.

Yet, I also know that she and I need to forgive you to heal ourselves even if your changes are only surface deep. Perhaps that is the only change you are capable of making right now. I do not know. I am merely grateful that you are both out of our lives.

The most important thing I have learned from our experience is that we are all connected. Of, course, I know we do not appear to be as connected as either one of you, but in this web of life, we are. That is why I will continue to ask God to help me to learn to truly forgive you, and I pray you both continue to grow in true understanding of others. I especially pray that you no longer perceive anyone as not worthy of you.

With aloha,

Sue

Weekly Photo Challenge: Eerie Vibes When Life Is Cut Short 9

There was never a good war, or a bad peace. — Benjamin Franklin

I want to make it clear, however, that although I am deeply opposed to war, I am not advocating appeasement. It is often necessary to take a strong stand to counter unjust aggression. — His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

 

Looking towards USS Missouri from USS Arizona Memorial.

Looking towards USS Missouri from USS Arizona Memorial.

Mooring bitts still visible.

Mooring bitts still visible.

Viewing Well

Viewing Well

USS Arizona Gun Turret  Number 3.

USS Arizona Gun Turret Number 3.

Cheri Lucas Rowlands challenges us to capture a black and white images with a mysterious, otherworldly vibe — the viewer wonders what lurks in the shadows. Something eerie has a story to tell — one you aren’t quite sure you want to know.

Every time I visit Pearl Harbor I get that vibe and I think black and white definitely captures it.

This month Kozo is challenging us to love our enemy for the monthly peace challenge. This post is not my response to this, but I do think the wreath in the photo below clearly shows love and respect for a former enemy.

Wreath from a former enemy.

Wreath from a former enemy.