Peace Poem - Better Late Than Never!

Well, Greetings Dear Readers!  It's been a while (so much I've been dealing with).  But I haven't forgotten.  In fact there should be another post up fairly soon after this!

But I was caught napping on this one. International Day of Peace was back on Thursday (9/21) and it slipped right by me.  If anyone has actually been reading this blog, he or she will know that the past few years it's been my tradition to actually do a series, leading up to an original peace poem on that day.  Well, sorry I won't be doing a series this year, but I do have an original peace poem to share, even if it is a bit tardy.  But hey, aren't words of PEACE always in order - or should be?  And I'd love some comments - as I mentioned in my twitter announcement, I REALLYcould use some encouragement here.  I put quite some effort and care into this blog and really hope someone does find it of some value!  Oh, and BTW, what do you readers think of the new look for the blog?

Herewith the poem.  I hope you readers enjoy.


Intimations of Peace

Quietly compelling murmurings
Intimations of Peace
Carried on winds of Hope,
Winging around the globe
Hear the whispers
Speaking to our hearts
For Peace yearns for us to listen
And let our hearts be filled with its message
A message of concord and hope,
For us its realization to fulfill.


Related Posts: Click on 'peace' in the labels tag cloud in the navbar on the right (or wherever in mobile).

And please remember: comments are GOLD and sharing is caring!

What About Keeping Our Cool?

Greetings all as Feb. winds down.  You readers should know by now that I am a fan of Mysteries at the Museum.  I enjoy history and really love it when they present inspiring stories, say of Elizabeth Jennings Graham, as I mentioned in this post (Persistence/Long Time Gone).  Again, the show has helped prompt me to write a blog post.  

It's hard to try to escape, even for a bit, some of the mess that's going down in our country and the world.  I very frequently read articles at The Intercept, and saw a certain headline, but didn't bother to read it at the time since I just wasn't in the mood for more bad news. Then I got to finally watch one of last week's MATM episodes and -  ok, this needs to be written.

It seems as though our popular vote loser and head twitterer is signaling willingness to restart a nuclear arms race.  All I can say is: that would be just sheer lunacy.  The racism, bigotry and misogyny are bad enough.  The lack of regard for the environment is bad enough.  The lack of regard for civil liberties is bad enough. The total disregard for actual facts is bad enough.  But nuclear arms are too serious to be left to anyone who doesn't want to keep a cool head (more later) and clearly think through implications of any change in policy or something else.

So what does that have to do with MATM? The episode was "Mutually Assured Missteps, First Train Robbery, and Declaration Discovered" (very good episode overall, actually!) The first story was of an incident in 1962 when it was thought that a Russian saboteur had breached the fence at Duluth air field in MN.  Fighter jets from nearby Volk Field in WI were readying for takeoff when word came that it was a false alarm.  The alleged "saboteur" was a bear!  Scott Sagan, author of the book, The Limits of Safety, echoes my concerns about such incidents. Sagan uncovered this incident with a FOIA request, so don't let anyone say FOIA doesn't matter!  This incident should also remind us once again that nukes are very, very serious business.  Even accidental misunderstandings could lead to the unthinkable.

We should remember the example of Vasili Arkhipov, featured in the most excellent PBS episode, "Secrets of the Dead: The Man Who Saved the World."  One thing which stood out for me was that one of those who served with him said that he stood out for being 'cool headed.'  When the fate of the entire Planet is at stake, I think that's a very good quality to have.

And if you find this post or any post here of value, please do comment and/or share.  Thanks!

Happy Holidays?

Even though my heart and spirit are so heavy and troubled this holiday season, I do want to send to all greetings and prayers.  We will be needing them, it seems.  No matter what you celebrate, believe, or not believe, we ALL need to believe in common humanity and the need for PEACE!  And that is certainly a large part of the message of the holiday season.

And as Steven W. Thrasher wrote - 'hold you loved ones close.'  Of course, my kitty thinks that includes pets, too! I certainly concur with that!!!

So let us  all, human and animal conpanions, send good wishes and vibes for the entire planet.

 

Today - International Day of Peace 2016

Greetings on this International Day of Peace.  One can only hope our prayers for Peace will be heard; that peaceful vibes will be felt around the world.

The past few years, I've posted an original poem for/about Peace.  And this year I'm continuing that tradition.  The poem this year is inspired by the 2016 theme: "Building Blocks for Peace."  And since it turned out that my new graphic seemed to go well with that theme, I will include it here again as well.

And now to the offerings for this year:

Building Blocks For Peace 

 

Peace is built one block at a time

The world is waiting for yours

Form the sides from finest wood

Season them, sand them,

Join them securely,

Apply a finish to the surfaces

That will withstand seasons of trial

From natural or man-made forces

Carry it to the collection as carefully as you would a dove

Leave your contribution with a prayer for its use

In building Peace

From a solid foundation of these supportive blocks

There is a space waiting just for yours,

Since we need Peace now,

We need Peace forever

My original graphic - 'Collage for Peace'

If you enjoyed this post - or any other post, please comment and/or share.  Thanks!

International Day of Peace is Almost Here!

Greetings again.  The annual International Day of Peace is almost here.  Don't forget to somehow honor Peace on Wed., Sept. 21!  One good idea is to join in the moment of silence/meditation at 12 Noon in each time zone around the world.

To get us ready, here's a great Scripture verse (which I think ANYONE might be able to relate to), and one of my own original graphics.


The Scripture verse is James 3:18 : "And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."

And now the graphic (which might seem to fit in with this year's theme):

My original graphic - 'Collage for Peace'

International Day of Peace - Next Week!

Next week, on Sept. 21, the U. N. will again sponsor the International Day of Peace. Everyone is encouraged to participate by doing things such as holding events, creating artistic works, praying and/or meditating for Peace on Earth.  They have a theme each year and this year's is "Building Blocks For Peace."

I have often done a "series" of posts leading up to the observance, so I think I'll continue doing that this year.  To lead off, let me point you to an old post I don't believe too many saw.

Making Peace is Like...

I hope it proves stimulating.

Related Posts:  You can check out all my posts labeled 'peace' by clicking that (or tapping in mobile?) in the tag cloud.

If you enjoy that or any post, please comment and/or share.  Thanks.

Turn Back...

Greetings.  Again I have to ask, is anyone there?  Anyone???

Today, in thinking over some recent news reports, my late Mother's favorite hymn came to my mind.  It was the Episcopal hymn whose first line is (or at least was in the 1940  Hymnal version): "Turn back, O man, forswear thy foolish ways."  Some of the 1940 version language may be a bit dated, but the yearning for a better, more peaceful world the hymn expresses is certainly right on time.

Right on time, because we have a certain nutjob Presidential candidate who just made a veiled threat against his rival (if anyone hasn't seen or heard of this, or doesn't believe it, let me know and I can post a link).  No matter that even if not meant seriously, some real psycho might just get the wrong  idea.  THEN, we have a former acting CIA chief who wants more killing in Syria.  And word has come there have been very recent air strikes that killed children in Yemen.

Turn back folks, indeed.  If we don't stop hurting and killing each other, who will be left?  We have domestic violence, street violence, random violence, terrorism, bombings and drone strikes, and wars (declared or undeclared, I can't seem to keep up, sadly).  Our entertainment is also sometimes way too violent. Take video games and movies, for example.  Sometimes just the commercials on tv for them give a large enough dose of violence to least for a week!  And don't be fooled into thinking that such images have no effect on us. In a previous post, I included a link to some research and thoughts about the effects of violent media on us.

We need to find a better path.  Desperately so. Think with me:

"Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love."

"Have we not come to such an impasse in the modern world that we must love our enemies - or else? The chain reaction of evil - hate begetting hate, wars producing more wars - must be broken, or else we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation."


----- both from Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.


“If you want to end the war then Instead of sending guns, send books. Instead of sending tanks, send pens. Instead of sending soldiers, send teachers.”    - Malala Yousafzai

“To replace the old paradigm of war with a new paradigm of waging peace, we must be pioneers who can push the boundaries of human understanding.  We must be doctors who can cure the virus of violence.  We must be soldiers of peace who can do more than preach to the choir.  And we must be artists who will make the world our masterpiece.”  - Paul Chappell

“Peace does not mean an absence of conflicts; differences will always be there. Peace means solving these differences through peaceful means; through dialogue, education, knowledge; and through humane ways.” -   His Holiness, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama


Think, then act!  DO SOMETHING!!!  At the very least, each of us can pray for peace or send peace vibes in accordance with our spirituality.  We can support or develop peacemaking and conflict resolution initiatives. We can support those who are in the trenches working for peace initiatives.  We can let policy makers and media shakers know we DEMAND more peaceful initiatives.  We need to keep our efforts going.  The future of our families, our neighborhoods, our countries - and our planet - is at stake. 

To come full circle, the ending line of Mom's favorite hymn (1940 version) is: " Earth shall be fair and all her folk be one."  I have a feeling Mom would agree that is something we should all be working toward.  Isn't it time we stopped hurting and killing each other and set our feet toward that goal?

Related Posts: click on 'peace' in the tag cloud on the right to view posts labeled 'peace.'

And please, if you like this post (or any other post here) please share and/or comment.  

Peace Sign...

I was wondering just what to blog about next when I came across an article in The Guardian about the designer of the peace sign.  He was Gerald Holtom and the design was first used in an antinuclear march in 1958.  He never copyrighted nor profited financially from the design.  According to the article, "he wanted the design to be freely available to any group who fought the same cause."  There's a link to Mr. Holtom's Wikipedia page  given as well.

Some folks or groups have mixed feelings about the sign it seems.  But I like it.  It's simple which does a lot to makes it the iconic symbol it has become.  It also lends itself well to being "dressed up", as in the cosmically decorated one above.  It has power to remind us of what we all should wish, hope, and pray for.

So thank you, Mr. Holtom for your contribution.  May you Rest in Peace, of course, but keep praying for Peace here on Earth; we need all the good vibes we can get!

Making Peace is Like...

...a duet for two pianos and two pianists.
Think about it: 

• In Tune -- obviously both pianos need to be tuned and in tune with each other; both parties to a conflict must get on the same page and want to work for peace
• Safeguards --  both pianos must be kept safe, free from things such as theft and vandalism - and of course both pianists must be kept healthy and safe ahead of the performance; both parties to a conflict must foster an atmosphere that will support talk instead of more violence
• Homework -- the pianists must practice the duet, practicing their individual parts and also practicing together; both parties to a conflict must commit to doing the work of discussing and laying the groundwork for peace
• Listening -- the pianists must listen to each other in order to coordinate their music (hey, didn't Arlo Guthrie say as much in one of his PBS shows?); both parties to a conflict must listen to each other's concerns and priorities as the details of an agreement are worked out
• Harmony  -- the performance might seem effortless, but it is the hard work of preparation which pays off in delighting the audience; the achievement of a peace agreement is certainly also the result of hard work and preparation, and pays off in a more harmonious reality for both parties

 Let's begin hoping that leaders take peacemaking - and music - lessons.  With the U.S. saying it will send special forces personnel to Syria; the continued fighting in the Middle East and some other places, I think we'd ALL do well to work for peace. Are you REALLY listening, world leaders?  Get with the program!

It's Here - International Day of Peace 2015

Is everyone thinking peaceful thoughts today?  
This is indeed International Day of Peace. 

My poetic offering:

Bridges Not Walls

Bridges not walls
Island to island, continent to continent
Spanning oceans ,seas. rivers, lakes,
Mountains, canyons, plains, borders
Connecting hearts and minds and hands
To partner with meditations and prayers for peace
To seek new thoughts for new solutions
To enable working together for human dignity
We must crisscross the globe with bridges of peace,
Never stopping until men, women, and children all flock together
As doves bearing sweet olive branches.

Language(s) of Peace

Gearing up for the International Day of Peace on Monday? 

 My Original Graphic - "Peace Mosaic"

I had thought of a word cloud also including some other languages' words for peace other than English and Latin.  But of course, it would be a real project to include all I could find...and I hated to only include a few representatives as I had planned. 

But it did make me think that since there WAS a word for peace in so many languages, there must be some longing on the part of most peoples for PEACE.  So it should indeed be our aspiration!

And in case you're curious and/or interested, you can find a great list of words for peace in many languages here.  And see if you notice the name of a one time space station there!

Day of Peace is Coming...

 

 "My Original Graphic - 'PeaceBelieve' "

Time really flies, doesn't it?  International Day of Peace is almost here again.  Sponsored by the U. N., it is observed every September 21.

This year's theme is:  "Partnerships for Peace - Dignity for All"

You can view and even download the poster and postcard !

Found this quote from Nelson Mandela which really fits the theme:   "If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner." ~ Nelson Mandela

There will be a synchronized meditation for peace on the 19th.  Unbfortunately I don't find their site really very usable...

And I invite all to click on "peace" in the tag cloud on the right sidebar to read all my previous posts about peace as we get ready!

And let's not forget music.  Here's the "Raga for Peace" performed at the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize Award Ceremony.

International Day of Peace - Today!

In honor of the International Day of Peace, here is my peace poem:
What Peace Does

Peace prunes olive branches

Hands them to messenger doves

Hopes that the budding deliveries will take root in new locations

Peace whispers prayers

Sends out quiet vibrations expressing yearning
Trusts that echoes will amplify the intentions and circle the world

Peace dares to dream
Imagines harmony in action instead of violent discord

Believes that day by day, the world is turning toward that dream.

 

Gearing Up

The International Day of Peace is almost here; it's happening Sun., Sept. 21.

I hope that we all will do something, however small for peace, especially on that day.

Here are a few quotes to keep us thinking:

“There never was a good war, or a bad peace.”  - Benjamin Franklin

"If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there'd be peace." – John Lennon
 
“We must see that peace represents a sweeter music, a cosmic melody, that is far superior to the discord of war.” – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

 

Honoring Peacemakers

As we look toward the International Day of Peace on Sept. 21, it's a good time to honor and bless Peacemakers.

Jesus said:  "Blessed are the Peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." (St. Matthew 5:9)

So in honor of the Prince of Peace and to add our blessings, here are some Peacemakers we can honor.  In some way, each did something to advance peace and/or take a stand against war. Some will be familiar, maybe others not so.  I hope that is the case, as I ran across some unfamiliar names in selecting this list.  So if you see a name you don't recognize, or you just want to find out more about the person and his or her work, I encourage you to do a search or read up the person in a reference book or biography.  I am giving one link as I found it wasn't so easy to find information on her on the internet, believe it or not.  Except for the first two, I'm putting them in alphabetical order.

So here goes:

The Bhudda
His Holiness, The 14th Dalai Lama (Tenzin Gyatso)
Fannie F. Andrews
Vasili Arkhipov
Medea Benjamin
Ralph Bunche
Elihu Buritt
Paul K. Chappell
Brian Haw
Coretta Scott King
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
John Lennon
Mildred Norman (Peace Pilgrim)
Yoko Ono
Priscilla Peckover 
            (scroll down to view her entry)
Stanislov Petrov
Jeanette Rankin
Archbishop Desmond Tutu
Baronness Bertha vonSuttner
Malala Yousafzai

Of course this is a VERY short list.  Would love to have you readers honor some other Peacemakers!

Peace.
 

International Day of Peace is Coming - Are You Ready?

Greetings!

September 21 will be the annual International Day of Peace.  Developed by the U. N., many, many peace groups and related organizations, religious groups, and individuals will have different activities to commemorate the day and continue showing dedication to peace. The theme this year is "The Right of Peoples to Peace."

Here is a good background site:  UN PeaceDay.  There will be many events all over the world - gatherings, concerts, video and social media happenings.  One worldwide event is to be a coordinated prayer /meditation for peace at noon in each time zone.   And if you happen to be looking for peace prayers, I shared a link to some Episcopalian ones in this post

Another site with great information and resources is World Beyond War .  They have a calendar of peace-related dates you can view on site or download located here.

So prepare yourself to commemorate the International Day of Peace. And again, don't forget the music!

Peace.

We MUST Find Peace

Hello to anyone reading this.  It can be so overwhelming just trying to keep up with all the trouble spots now active around the world.  So frustrating that we're still fighting with each other.  So sad to read about even some of the loss of lives and destruction of homes and vital resources.  We humans MUST find a better way.  We MUST.  The future of our planet depends on it.

We must do what we can to call for peace, act for peace, believe in peace, and pray for peace.

Since I'm Episcopalian, I thought I might share some of the Episcopal Church's prayers for peace.  Prayers 4 and 5 on the page are quite good, as is Prayer 6, which you have to scroll down to read in its entirety.

Whatever anyone's beliefs, spiritually or otherwise, I hope (and pray) that all will see the necessity for respecting our common humanity and stopping the madness of violence and war.

Peace.

Thoughts of Peace

Today, in the aftermath of the four children killed in Gaza, as the ground assault has started there, as tensions are high in the Ukraine, we MUST think of peace.

I remember when I was in eighth grade and we students were practicing for our graduation.  We were rehearsing the song "Let There Be Peace On Earth (and Let it Begin With Me)."  One of the teachers suddenly stopped us.  She told us that war had just broken out in the Middle East (ok, now I've really dated myself) and we should sing the song with feeling if we really meant it.  I don't think at that time I understood much about peace and war, but this certainly brought home to me that these were quite important concerns.

Through the years, my feelings evolved. I have a button declaring: "War is Not Healthy for Children and Other Living Things."  But still, I don't think I really came to see war as the horrible choice it so often is right away.  There may be times when it is necessary (WWII, for example), but I've come to see those times as really few and far between.  History is too littered with them: wars that go on for years, claim way too many lives - too often those of innocents.

How long have we humans been on this planet?  Long enough that you'd think we'd have learned by now how to solve our differences without violence.  But no.  We still shoot at each other.  We still get out the rockets, missiles, land mines, and bombs.   And the horror is there if we are strong enough to search out the reports and really look and read (and yes, just skimming some reports can be gut-wrenching).  

It is critically important NOW, that each of us finds some way to oppose the violence and atrocities occurring around the world.  Comment to the White House Comment Line (202-456-1111).  Write letters or make calls. Maybe join a peace group or anti-war rally.  Pray and meditate (I so believe in the power of prayer!).  Maybe somehow, the little things will start adding together to make a change.

And we shouldn't forget music!  Do your radio stations play much peace or anti-war music these days?  Mine don't seem to.  But here are a couple of links to get us going:

"War" by Edwin Starr    and   "Crystal Blue Persuasion" by Tommy James & The Shondells


Peace.