I Am a Voyeur of Life

We want peace that we may be able to put our difficulties into perspective
and come to terms with our doubts.

With peace in our hearts
We carry our cross and bear afflictions
Accept without complaint
The heavy burden
The pain
The suffering.

We want peace so that we will never be jealous or envious of other people's successes and triumphs. We will not feel insecure. We will never consider anyone as a threat to our being.

With peace in our hearts
Greed will not rule our actions
Malice will not define our decisions
Angry words will not come out of our lips
Suspicion will not dwell in our minds.

Peace not because we want to be free of troubles and worries or spared from trials.

With peace in our hearts
We are full of hope even when we are betrayed
We can comfort others even when we are suffering
We accept others even when we are rejected
We love even when we are wounded.

The real red flag we often talk about is nothing external or far. There may be "wars" outside, but the deeper battle is within us. There may be big and small conflicts everywhere, but the real trouble is inside us. There may be anger between peoples but this anger merely mirrors what we hold in our hearts. This is what relationships ultimately boils down to. Peace begins and continues, or doesn't, with each of us. We cannot speak and write of peace from theory. We have to do it from the heart of our experience.

No way could we begin to cultivate PEACE, if we were coming from a space of pride and pain. No way could we find PEACE if we were coming from the grid of self-rejection and bitterness. No way could we keep PEACE if we were coming from a stance of callous arrogance.

The PEACE I write about is the peace we breathe. The PEACE I talk about is the peace that begins to renew us and reign in our lives each day. The PEACE I wish is the peace we all pray. I go through what all of us go through, but I want PEACE and I want to manage and to keep PEACE. Your PEACE, too.