When I was raising my daughters as a single mom, we attended a church on a regular basis. It was known as the Science of Mind, based on the teachings of Ernest Holmes and following that of his predecessors, who originated the New Thought movement. It wasn’t a religion per sé, but a philosophy by which one could change the conditions of her life by changing her thinking. At the end of each service, the congregation would stand, hold hands and sing, “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” If you take these words to heart, then you understand that peace must truly begin with each of us, with each relationship we have, each and every day. We must make a conscious effort at all times to let go of judgements, to honor our differences of opinions, and to release any need to control others.
The five days since the insurrection and the domestic terrorism that took place at our White House, has left our country in a state of shock and fear. Now, we not only have ongoing concerns about the worsening of the pandemic; we also have the unsettling possibility that the world, as Americans have come to know it, could erupt in civil war. There is talk about a future collapse of our economy. There is a growing sense of panic among those who do not know how to grow or cook their own food. With so many, who have become reliant on obtaining food and other necessities from their local grocery store, this could result in unimaginable pandemonium. People are buying guns and weapons to protect themselves, because they do not trust their neighbors, should chaos overtake us.
It is more important than ever, that we do not allow fearful and paranoid thinking to cause us to do desperate things. There is a group of people whom Trump has incited and fueled with anger and hatred. They are a threat to our democracy, which is why we must begin now to practice peace and “to become the peace that we wish to see in the world.” Evil will always exist somewhere on our planet. If it is not Trump and his followers, it will be someone else who is just as dangerous. We must rise above and not lower ourselves to their same behavior. Fighting only adds fuel to their hostility. If we make peace our priority, the disdain of those who would try to engage us in war, will dissipate, in the same way that the darkness recedes when the sun rises each morning. We must pray for peace. We must make peace our daily practice. Peace begins with you and with me.
