Reason 88 to Blog for Peace: Stubborn acceptance of gladness

I am behind again, which is not a problem for me.  The problem has been the intrusion of life on my meditations on peace.   The intrusions of the wars, the riots, the famines; but also the intrusions of changes at work, my son starting a new school, and a high school reunion.  The World has been overwhelming me for the past week or so.

Then my O magazine came in the mail, and I finally sat down and turned to Martha Beck, my favorite columnist, and guess what she is writing about this month?  Stubborn acceptance of gladness.  She writes about how our storms of negativity coming from our fear incite storms of negativity in others.  When we are scared, we are scary. 

While reading this, I realized that I have been both a victim and a source of these storms of negativity.  I am feeling overwhelmed and helpless in so many areas.  And thinking about World Peace in these times can bring impotent rage.

But that's not the point of this exercise.  The point is Peace --- internal & external.  Peace with justice, peace with quiet, peace with joyful noises.

And so, for now and for the next few "days" (or however long it takes me to catch up and keep going), I will blog about peace to glorify the oasises of peace, love, kindness, and hope in this world.

As Pablo Neruda wrote (and I'm borrowing from Martha Beck's column):

Take bread away from me, if you wish,
take air away, but
do not take from me your laughter.
...it opens for me all
the doors of life.

Peace be with you.