Dear Friend in Peace,
Upon waking we have countless choices: the most important is to decide what type of day we will have. As Venerable Ghikkhu Pannakara instructed us during and after the Walk for Peace, we have the power and ability to affirm: "Today will be my peaceful day." Upon doing so we have a filter for focusing our thoughts, words, and actions: are they peaceful? If not, they are not for us.
Having a focus of peace for our thoughts, words, and actions does not immediately change the outside world, but it changes us and helps us stay steady on our path of peace.
Rather than allow the absolute horrors that are happening in the name of the United States to obliterate our inner peace, we recognize responding with fear and anger only creates MORE fear and anger. Our grief and compassion for all those impacted world-wide by our nation's actions flow with our tears and assistance.
Our gentle, yet profoundly powerful commitment to peace, love, compassion and "Liberty and Justice for all," creates peaceful, loving energy within us that impacts everyone around us and our world. Our focus on peace offers us a vantage point of love and compassion for all, not just a favored few. Our commitment to focusing on peace offers us the vision, awareness, and possibility of a peaceful world.
"Fine," you say, "but how do we manage when the world is not peaceful?" We focus on Peace, on being peace. We create and become the peace we desire. Rather than moan about the latest horrific distraction, we do what we can to help by holding the vision of the world we know is real, a world of loving kindness and peace in which everyone does what is in the highest and best good of all. We hold compassion for those who believe harming others is somehow desirable.
Most importantly, every time we feel overwhelmed, discouraged and worried, we remember our true power to change is through the vision and vibrations of Love and Peace. We visualize a world in which every child is safe, nurtured, and loved. Our focus on that world changes everything within and without.
The next time, our buttons are ready to pop from dismay over the latest outrage to our Constitution and human decency, we can breathe out that fear, that noise, that great sorrow and focus on peace. We focus on peace until all that is left within us to breathe out is Love and Peace. Through our focus on Peace, we change ourselves, our communities, and our world, one loving, peaceful thought and breath at a time.
Thank you for choosing peace, for choosing to focus on peace. Our peace matters, your peace matters and helps shift the energy of our communities and our nation. Thank you for keeping your focus on Peace, and in so doing, helping it manifest throughout our community, state, nation and world.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts, successes, challenges, and ideas for creating more peace within your heart. I welcome, encourage and enjoy your comments and suggestions.
Yours in peace and love always,
Donna
P.S. Please pass on the peace by sharing this post with friends and family. They can join this mailing list, by writing to me at donnadday@gmail.com
I had a fabulous time taking this photo because being in nature is pure joy and peace for me. Ernie, our friend Art, and I were at Lower Lake of Myakka River State Park when I spotted this fascinating sight. The central figure of the Pine tree with deliciously twisting and dancing branches caught my eye immediately. Then the soft, gentle, pink glow of the clouds captured my heart. I chose them to go with this story of the Peace of Focus because one's eyes can be drawn to the tree, but those clouds are where the peace is. The more I focus on the clouds, the more peace I feel and so peace builds within me and flows outward to impact others.
