peace

Tomorrow is National Peace Day, and I'm thankful for that, but I'm thinking we should concentrate on being peaceful every moment of our lives, don't you? I know they have "days" or "weeks" or "months" to help us celebrate and remember different things (like "Red Crayon Day"? or "Hug your Horse Day"), but I'm thinking it's enough for me just to be present, to BE peace (as Thich Nhat Hanh says), and that is very good. I'm remembering a day a couple of years ago when we were visiting Mom and Dad in Bismarck. Dad and I and Billy Boy were going for a walk, and we saw a young girl and an older man heading for the house. We stopped to talk to them, then Dad went inside and brought out some money and gave it to them. The girl gave Dad about 20 chocolate candy bars. I was shocked, a little - Mom's a diabetic, and Dad doesn't even like candy. But Dad wanted to help this girl, so he bought her chocolate. That's how I was raised - love in action, caring, generosity. So when little sweet Christina from Bill's class just called me to buy wrapping paper, I paused. Bill's selling wrapping paper for the boy's choir, so I don't NEED it (you know we'll be buying a ton from him), but then I stopped, and remembered Dad, and said, "Of course we'll buy something, Christina - you come right on over."

Is that celebrating Peace Day? I think we start with ourselves, first of all, then we move our kindness and patience and respect and consideration to our loved ones we share our home with, then out to our dear friends, then neighbors and acquaintances, and then strangers, then enemies (whatever our definition of 'enemy' is). Is it peaceful inside of me today? Yes - very. Am I happy? Yes - very. Is it all good? Yes - very. No matter what? Yes - because there will always be difficulties, and challenges, and sad things happening, but there is also all this incredible beauty and good everywhere. Sappy? Heck no - I'm a realist, but I've been through some pretty tough times, and I know that it's a choice we make, every moment. How do I feel? How do I choose to feel? You can tell me I don't REALLY know tough times, but I tell you back that we ALL have our tough times because we ALL have our unique lives. What one person calls tough may not be another person's definition, but who are we to judge?

Okay, I judge, but I'm aware of it. What am I judgmental about? People who don't have any kids, then tell me how to raise my kids, or tell me that other parents are BAD parents. I'm judgmental about people smoking, doing drugs, drinking too much. I'm judgmental about prejudiced people (you might even say I'm prejudiced against prejudiced people, which doesn't make ANY sense, seeing as I'm then one of "them"). I'm judgmental about stinginess and lying and hypocrisy. Am I ALL of those things I've mentioned? Yes, but not the drinking, smoking or drugs things - never done them, never will. Don't want to. What does this have to do with peace? Being awake, I think, being aware, caring enough to stay malleable and open to change. That's what I strive for, even when I'm tired and I just want to walk away. I stay, just a minute longer, and that's what Pema Chodron says is the sign of a spiritual warrior. A PEACEFUL spiritual warrior.

So take some time to feel peace, feel is permeate into the center of your being. That's what I'm going to keep doing, but will be even more mindful of these next two days, in the midst of the Symphony premiere, and meditation class, and Sunday school and Boy Scout meetings - peace AND life, together, intertwined, no separation, because there isn't - it's all one. Peace.