Peace

A memorial at the cemetery reads “rest in peace,” but what does this mean? Did this person live in peace, or is it just the end of their time?

We are living in a world with violence and fighting, though we don’t talk about it. We restrain our fears and their existence. We may not have experience with war, but that does not mean conflict does not exist. We suppress the thought of war and are glad we haven’t experienced it. But people affected by war, can’t hide it. They can’t simply close their eyes and behave as nothing happened.

It’s even worse when those people try to escape from their fears, and we don’t support them. They may have experienced the worst things in their lifes, perhaps escaped death, and now they are looking for safety, security, and emotional security. The country may provide protection, but what they need is a community, someone to talk to and people that do not criticize, threaten, or scare them.

They may pray for world peace, but what they need is emotional security, to not be left alone with their fears. They want the ability to live in peace.

What about us? We do not know what happened to those people and we can not imagine. Or even better, we don’t want to hear it, and we don’t want to see it. We hide it, but it’s not a secret. We make it appear harmless, playing down the hardest and scariest things to pretend world peace prevails. But peace does not prevail for them.

Why are there so many people hoping and praying for peace, even world peace, yet at the same moment they criticize, bully, or fight with others?

Do we know what peace is? Can we imagine peace?

When searching the internet, synonyms for “peace” include silence, unity, and reconciliation. However, I would debate peace is something personal.

Is there a connection between personal and social peace? Can I only rest in peace, if I helped the world to become more peaceful? What about the other way around? Will there be more peace in the world, when I found mine?

I find peace is a give and take- live in peace and give peace. But is it also something religious? Or is it right in front of us, are we blind to it, do we overlook it?

Maybe that’s because we all have different views and visions of peace and what peace means.

I wish for serenity, power, and safety. I desire a peaceful world with fewer wars and less fighting a place of more acceptance, stronger communities, greater security, and deeper consideration. Can we achieve this in my lifetime?

I ask myself, how can I live in peace without being criticized? Is it possible? What will others think? Will they judge me with their words, their behaviors, their choices? Maybe peace begins with each of us asking ourselves, how can I instill peace amidst the criticism and fighting?