Peace starts within

If we want peace on the entire planet, then each country must be in a state of peace. For each country to be in a state of peace, each community in that country must be living peacefully, in harmony with each other. For a peaceful community, each family within that community must be at peace among themselves. For a peaceful family, each person who belongs in that family must have peace within their own hearts. Rather than process this with your mind, and immediately accept or reject it, feel it with your heart and look into your own life to see whether or not it rings true for you.
 

Think about your family, or the people you share a home with. Have you ever been in a situation where the entire household is disrupted just because one member is causing chaos with their outbursts of anger, violent behaviour, negative patterns and habits, or sullen moodiness? It is impossible to sustain an aura of calm peacefulness in that home, regardless of how peace-loving and peace-seeking the other family members are. More often than not, the behaviour of the one triggers reactive behaviour in another and the domino effect begins. 

Now we go out into the community where all the families have gathered for a meeting. They speak about the need for peace within that community, but each family is privately and quietly in a state of disharmony, wounded by the battles of the days and nights before. They have arrived with good intentions, they truly do desire peace, but their energy speaks louder than words. Each family circle has brought with it its own brand of turbulence, thus the community as a whole is awash with instability.

Next, all communities across the country gather in an attempt to discuss their various ideas and needs. However, they have all brought with them the tension that resides within that community. Talks stall and arguments break out, they find it hard to come to any sort of agreement.

The countries come together, in a last ditch effort to communicate with each other. The countries are in a state of emergency by now, frustrated by their inner turmoil. The countries start hurling abuse at one another, throwing blame at whoever triggers them the most, for the problems they are experiencing. They all believe they didn’t start the fight, and they all believe they want peace, and in a way they are right. In another way, they need to take responsibility. We all need to take responsibility.

We have all played our part in creating the disharmony. We have all been that person in that family who by a word or action created unrest and sadness, hurt and anger, because that is how we felt inside ourselves. We are united today in a call for peace, and we are all equally responsible for creating that peace. Don’t just think peace or wish for peace, live it with every thought, word and action. 

 - Excerpt from A New Chapter, Dana Mrkich