When I think of Peace, I think of inner harmony. I think of how one effects the many. How thoughts, words, art—are all powerful.
I try to imagine a peaceful world. What would it be like to live in peace, without war, without violence, without hate? What would the world look like if conflicts and differences could be sorted out, talked out, rather than escalating to—? I think that in a way we need the other side of peace in order to know and get closer to peace.
I agree that peace starts with us, but I respect that each individual will find and come to know peace on their own terms. I suppose though that in order for peace to be a reality for some individuals, basic needs need to be met first, families need to be cohesive. If people live in survival mode, unable to put food on their tables, clothes on their backs, how can we spread peace around to EVERYONE?
It seems to come back to me doing what I can to cultivate my own inner peace and also doing what I can in my own little quiet ways. And knowing that there are many individuals and groups and people in power or who have the means to make a larger impact.
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Why not?
By Rebbecca Hill
History’s shadow lies hidden from
the owl’s eyes, swept into the weeds, only to grow back stronger,
tangled, thorny.
What if humankind was like a bamboo reed aiming high,
adapting to the stormy curves of the wind,
standing firm, knowing when to bend. And what if
man was also like a great oak: rugged skin, judicious
branches extending upward; no ideology to cling to, nor
only one to proclaim.
Why not a world of acceptance, respect of all views, with
no need to uncap destruction in the forest, no limbs unnecessarily
exploding into crimson ground.
Couldn’t we have a world with a spectrum of colors, ideas, warmth,
shelter, food, home, love, that everyone could fit into their pockets and
hold?
8 comments:
Very good poetry Rebb. I hope your search for peace may be fruitful.
Thank you for visiting and for your kind thoughts, Jitu. I'm glad you like the poem.
Rebb,
Yes to "Why Not?"
I like the following phrase: no ideology to cling to, nor
only one to proclaim.
Peace!
Beautiful piece, Rebb. I´d like to be a bamboo tree :-)
Keiko, Yes, wouldn't it be nice...
Thanks for your comments.
Peace! :)
Lu, Thank you very much for your comment. I'm glad you liked it. :)
It seems to me that we can't make anything in our lives conditional upon the world changing. The paramount need is to adapt to what is, for the sake of survival.
You mention this survival mode, but it has its own rules. In a way we don't need to worry about those who live in survival mode, for their imperatives are clear, their life is simple, the things they have to do, which may appear like compromises to us, may be straightforward necessities to them.
We can of course imagine a peaceful world, even as we imagine a world in conflict, limping along in its compromise and imperfection. We cannot prove that either of these visions are visions of reality. They are just visions. The world, whether in peace or otherwise, is just one person's imagination of the world, or all too often one person's unreflecting acceptance of another person's imagination of the world. Just as though, when you look at a map of the world, for example a rectangular one, you might say "the world looks like this". But it can't look like that. no one can see it. If they take a picture of it from the moon, there is no detail.
And yet, as you say, thoughts, words, art are all powerful.
Vincent,
“The world, whether in peace or otherwise, is just one person's imagination of the world.” I do believe this and at the same time, I wonder what it would look like, if only one person’s imagination were in focus at a time, so that we could see the different imaginations individually and then collectively. But, I suppose that’s where the arts, literature, humanities—everything comes into the picture. It’s difficult to step back and see things as they really are in their purest form with all the outward distractions. And even if we spend time inward, once we step out of that, it changes by what we come into contact with. Life is a wonderful ride!
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