Peace of Inspiration: Make Peace a Priority

Dear Friend in Peace,

Knowing peace is possible, if not always easy, we continue to look to wise souls for guidance during these turbulent times. Today’s inspiration comes from the author of seven NY Times bestselling books Heartsongs 1 - 6 and one collection of essays and letters called Just Peace.

This author and our peace guide is Mattie Stepanek, a remarkable young man who died at age 13, leaving us his inspiring writings and the enduring impact of his kindness, generosity, compassion, love, and peace on all who met him or read his books.

At the age of 5, Mattie explained his philosophy of life: “Remember to play after every storm!” — because, he said, “playing rejuvenates the spirit and connects us with our neighbors, as God intended.”

Let those words soak into your heart. Allow yourself to feel the joyous, loving world Mattie envisioned and inhabited. When storms come our way, be they rainstorms or attacks on our constitutional rights or our social safety net, may we too choose to play with our neighbors and celebrate the blessings and peace we share by caring for one another throughout our world.

Of all Mattie’s poems and writing I have read, the one below is my favorite. His vision and wisdom are apparent as he writes out step by step what we need to do to be peaceful and to help create a peaceful community, nation, and world.

Reading Mattie’s words is to be enveloped in a peaceful cocoon. Mattie does not tell us to sit back and wait for peace. He puts the responsibility squarely on our shoulders as he implores us to create peace through our gentleness, happiness, kindness, acceptance, tolerance, and love. There is no better time than now or place than where we are in this moment to begin making peace a priority. As we do, peace builds within us, spreads out into our communities, states, nations, and world. Yes, Mattie, Peace is Possible, and it begins with us now.

Thank you for choosing peace in your thoughts, words, and actions.
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