Complaining is easy. Lashing out when we are hurt comes naturally. Bullying happens.
Peace, on the other hand, is hard. To live in happiness with others, we can’t always put ourselves first. We have to nurture our best intentions, and consciously and constantly point ourselves in the right direction. This needs to happen on the most intimate level, as well as in the grand political theater.
This Saturday is the International Day of Peace. Set your alarms for noon. Every year on September 21, people around the world share a minute of silence at 12p.m. to contemplate, wish for, and create global peace. This U.N. Celebration is part of their Culture of Peace Initiative, designed to unite the strengths of organizations and individuals who are working to make Peace a practical reality.
There are many resources available on their web page, highlighting this year’s theme, Education for Peace. One of my favorites is a free ebook with instructions to prepare a classroom of 3-6 year-olds for the Minute of Silence.
Peace Day will fall on a weekend this year, when kids are home with families. Take a little time before lunch to talk to your kids about these broad concepts of peace that we discuss in The Bullying Antidote:
- Our needs and feelings are part of life and there is always a place for them. They guide us to listen to our intuition.
- There are infinite possibilities and solutions to resolve challenges.
- We have to pursue loving, relationship-focused attitudes.
- Harmony, peace, and joy are normal experiences.
With the right frame of mind, any day can be Peace Day, even with the bumps and bruises life provides. Hope yours is serene, sweet, and full of joy!
The Zorgos Reader 