The Olympic Flame

Submitted by peacemaker - March 30, 2008 | Add a Comment

The Olympic Flame, the iconic symbol of the International Games, will be brought from Athens to Beijing on March 31st, and will then begin the most ambitious round-the-world torch relay in Olympic history. The Torch will be passed from runner to runner on a 130-day trip that will cross all five continents and even scale the summit of Mount Everest, before it arrives at the National Stadium in Beijing for the August 8th opening ceremony.

Imagine if the Olympic Flame were truly a Torch of Peace, setting people’s hearts aflame in every country it passes through, inspiring them to reach out to family, friends, neighbors, even strangers, in ongoing Acts of Peace!

Imagine if everyone who saw the Torch really felt its heat, its message of hope, and then did something about igniting Peace -- without waiting for politicians to make deals, or armies to fight it out -- by starting immediately with the circle of people right around them. Imagine if all over the world, we lit our own flames of Peace directly from the Olympic Torch.

What if the five colorful Olympic Rings, that symbolize five continents of the world, were truly open circles -- like the three half rings on the logo of this website – so that the Bird of Peace could fly straight through the rings of anger, hatred, and revenge that separate families, neighborhoods, tribes, states, religions, and nations?

What if everyone who stood in line to see the Olympic Torch pass by, then turned around and committed an Act of Peace toward the person right next to them – or someone in need at home, in school, at work, at play? Imagine if all of us could catch the peace fire in our hearts – and become vibrant men and women and children of peace? Not tomorrow or the next day: but right NOW! What would change? Very Little? Or a lot?

We know Peace is not a magical thing. It takes daily work and commitment and courage. Sometimes, in the name of Peace, we will even have to protest against injustice, racism, and political repression, in all its forms. We will have to stand strong (or kneel down), and sacrifice bravely for what we believe in. Otherwise we don’t really believe in it. Peaceful resistance can also be an Act of Peace. It demands that we become stronger in mind and heart than injustice itself – in our willingness to face off against the enemies of Peace. But always, we must look for the most peaceful means of resistance, lest we become as violent in our peace-making as others are in hate-mongering. It’s a fine, fine balance.

Let’s think about it. Let’s not just watch the Olympic Torch be passed from runner to runner in country after country on TV, amid protesters on all sides. Let’s allow the Torch to ignite a flame in each one of us, deep within our hearts. Let’s ask questions about how a more peaceful approach to any given situation could really make a real difference in our lives. And then let’s personally commit in word and deed to passing on the Flame in a living way, through our daily Acts of Peace.

 

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