“If you want to bring peace to the whole world, go home and love your family.”
— Mother Teresa
When I was a little girl, I asked my mother why we cannot have world peace.
She explained it’s because I was not even able to keep peace between me and my brother. Those were wise words that even a child could understand. But, if it’s so easy, why don’t we have peace?
Peace starts with each and every one of us. In everything we do, in everything we say, and in every thought we have, there is a place for peace.
I believe it starts with having peace with ourselves first, then with family, neighbors and the random person you meet at the supermarket or on the street.
When we turn on the TV, we see that aggression is everywhere. It’s even normalized. Same goes for social media. What was meant to bring people together seems to divide them. The way people talk to and about others is appalling. As long as we have an “us versus them” thinking, we won’t have peace. Ever. Not with ourselves, not with others.
Let’s actively work on being peaceful. Let’s respond with grace if it takes too long to get your food at a restaurant. Let’s give the benefit of the doubt if someone makes a mistake. Give them a chance to correct it. Let’s try to overlook someone else’s mistakes, and let’s work on fixing our mistakes. Let’s listen with the intend to understand, not with the intend to respond.
Let’s do better, let’s be better. Every day a little bit more.
Always remember there is goodness everywhere and kindness matters.
