When was the last time you experienced the bliss of peace? Have you ever? Do you search for peace? Do you try to cultivate peace in your life? What is peace?
I remember one of the last times I experienced the utter joy of peace. I had just gotten married and our children were in town to celebrate. It was the holidays, and we packed up our thermos and new Yeti mugs for a walk around the Columbus Zoo to see the lights. It was magical. It was crowded. It was chaos. It was delicious. With each sip of the oh so fabulous warm and sugary delight, the crowd faded away, time slowed down. I felt the love of my new husband, my family, and the beauty around me. I enjoyed the laughter of the moments, the bite of the crisp cool air on my cheeks, and the peace of knowing all was right in my world.
Peace isn’t easy to define. We think of peace and quiet, and imagine that peace can only be experienced in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. But, that’s not true. Peace means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart. Peace is inside of you. Peace comes from within. It is a state of balance and understanding about yourself – and between yourself and others. Your journey, your life, your experiences, lead you to the peace you have within yourself.
Gandhi says, “There is no way to peace, peace is the way.”
Peace is a feeling that is unique to each of us, and so hard to describe. Peace is in solitude. Peace is in chaos. Peace is yours. How do you describe peace?
