"And I shall have some Peace there..."

Submitted by ShelliJoye - February 20, 2008 | Add a Comment

Peace can be elusive in our 'each day' world, unless we find a way to consciously, choice-fully, overtly practice an 'Act of Peace'. We find ourselves so easily being but observers: sometimes angry, sometimes shocked viewing the 'news', numbingly indifferent at best. Which is why this idea, this movement toward peace actions, is so refreshing, practical, powerful in its simplicity.  It reminds me of something that all the religions should include in their primer for daily right action: Three Acts of Peace.

I'm finding lately that one or two of my daily Acts of Peace are simply to let the aggressive driver to my left or right go for it, to have my spot in the lane. In fact, whereas I used to find myself becoming irritated, if not downright angry, when someone tried to 'cut me off' in an aggressive manner, with no turn signal whatsoever,  in a dangerous way, I now smile, realizing, "Here is an opportunity for an Act of Peace!" And I gently tap my brake and motion for him to move in with an authentically friendly gesture (as opposed to previous gestures I might have used) to have the place ahead of me. Wow, does this change my mood!  I feel at once that I've defused a source of potential disturbance in my emotional heart and at the same time have been able to interject a little bit of peace into the world, rather than anger or resentment.  Instead of clenching and becoming a bit uptight at the unfairness and aggressiveness of the world (of the person "trying to cut me off"), I smile at the thought that maybe my unexpected action has also had a peaceful effect on the other driver. 

Also since beginning these Acts of Peace, I try always to raise my hand and wave in a friendly gesture in the rear view mirror when another driver lets me merge in to the space in front of his car. I remember in the past seeing a very rare driver do this to me and always thought, "How friendly the other driver is to acknowledge and thank me for letting him go ahead, without anger, but rather with a real and cordial acknowledgement that I am human, and we are not dehumanized by driving four ton contraptions of industrial metal, glass and carbohydron fuel...that roar!"

I've easily expanded this Act of Peace to being overtly friendly more often with sales clerks and checkout counter people. They must have a very stressful time many days, with so many customers often in a hurry, irritable, often on the verge of snapping unkindly. So I just try my best to smile and talk about the weather or find something positive to say a few words about, at the same time engaging them in a small conversation and making them feel like the other human being, child of God, that they are. I think it helps us both remember what a gift life is and what a wonderful gift our angels have given us, bringing us together like this to help one another.

It's easy finding ways to do an Act of Peace with my family and friends and colleagues, but it is these Acts of Peace done for strangers, the 'anonymous' driver and the 'anonymous' clerk, bringing them into the sphere of my friends and family, and treating them like the brothers and sisters on our planet that they are, that is an AMAZING experience. It takes so very little to do, but is, it feels to me, like a real drop of positivity invested in our lives, that, if taken collectively by more and more people, will undoubtedly have an outcome in our world, working to counter and offset the daily acts of violence and terror that we are regularly bombarded with when we read or watch the news.
It feels like I'm finally taking my peace into my own hands.

I'd like to close with a quotation from my favorite poem ...... by W.B. Yeats
I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made:
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the mourning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.

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