Absence of hostilities. State of harmony. Freedom from anxiety. Tranquility. Stillness. These are some words from Webster's.
Most of us start out with peace being given to our psyches by the fact that we know we are being cared for by those larger and stronger than we.
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| by Anne Geddes of New Zealand |
The wonder of our existence and the thoughts on how to pass through this life have spawned religious practices. Some people pray for their own peace, and that of the world
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| by American Norman Rockwell |
Other people, instead of praying outward, pray inward as in meditation, to achieve peace.
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| by James Wyper of Canada |
Other peace seekers look to substances to lead them to calmness.
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| by Cristin Paige of California |
Interacting with nature is a useful path to tranquility for myself and many others.
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| one of my solo kayaking trips |
Letting ourselves be bathed in beautiful sounds can bind us together in sweet serenity.
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| by Jules-Alexandre Grun of France |
Voyaging to islands magically releases tensions for many tired souls.
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| by American Winslow Homer in Bermuda |
The swaying of gravity, perhaps imitating those newborn feelings, soothes us with the hammock. Just plain relaxing.
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| again by Winslow Homer |
For some reason, being on or along the water for extended periods of time, with a line waiting to snare a fish, brings nirvana to many.
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| Mr. Homer once more |
Gliding like a bird, though daring, makes one feel peacefully connected with this planet.
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| gliding meets Van Gogh by Lori Sanchez |
Just passing through a beautiful place by just walking about, or taking a long hike can center the soul.
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| watercolor by Bill Sharp |
They say, "Rest in peace", but it doesn't necessarily mean the end.
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| by Mark Adams of Maryland |
So we, on an individual basis, can pursue these paths to at least a fleeting peace. But the universe we live in is not a peaceful place, beautiful as it is.
Our planet can threaten our well being at a moment's notice.
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| by Ambera Wellman of Canada |
Sometimes I have a little envy for those who live their lives with concern only for their own little world, purposely having a blind eye to everything going on outside their circle.
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| by Sir Frank Dicksee of England |
And there is an attractiveness in contentedly living out one's life in a small town, away from urban concerns. That simplicity sounds good.
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| painting by Rod Penner of Texas |
But there have been global forces using conformity to attain peace.
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| by Andy Warhol |
Insisting that uniformity will bring contentedness.
But the world never has been and never will be homogenous.
And how can there be peace in the world when there are people who are denied the bounty so many of us take for granted?
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| by Carold Spandau of Montreal |
Are we just kidding ourselves that things could ever look like this?
Ever since "civilization" began, terror and violence have been used to force others to comply to the will of those powerful. By the time "peace" was achieved in 1945, between 60 and 85 million people had lost their lives.
The politicians and generals always say they are working for a lasting peace. Former Secretary of State John Foster Dulles said, "The world will never have lasting peace so long as men reserve for war the finest human qualities. Peace, no less than war, requires idealism and self-sacrifice and a righteous and dynamic faith."
I am not one of those people who is gladly only concerned with my own little world. And some of the things I'm seeing right now across our planet are incredibly senseless and horrifying. Peace? I think that individuals can muster fleeting episodes of it. Sadly though, it appears that peace is not the default system of the universe. Never the less, we must never give up the concept in our hearts.
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| by Peter Max of New York City |
