Photo by Martin Bisof on Unsplash
It’s tempting to equate peace with solitude: sitting on a mountain top or a beach, or taking a long, hot bath, far away from the noise and strife of the world. But real peace is about connection.
In the Oxford English Dictionary, the first definition of peace is “freedom from civil unrest or disorder.” I have a couple of problems with this.
Instead of thinking of peace as the absence of something (unrest or disorder), consider thinking of it as something existing in and of itself — something to welcome, to cultivate, to grow. We talk about wars escalating; shouldn’t we be able to think of peace as escalating as well?
If we insist on the traditional definition, then peace should be more than the absence of war; peace should be the absence of the things that lead to war: greed, selfishness, fear, judgment, and self-righteousness.
Every religion and ethical system condemns these human tendencies and urges followers to give them up in favor of their opposites: generosity, altruism, faith, mercy, and humility.
Consider these quotes:
“Seek to be in harmony with all your neighbors.” — The Shujing
“Among men who hate us let us dwell free of hatred.” — The Dhammapada
“Without Self-perception, there is no peace.” — The Bhagavad Gita
“Let us therefore follow after the things that make for peace.” — The New Testament
“Oh, You who believe! Enter absolutely into peace” — The Quran
“They buried their weapons of war, for peace.” — The Book of Mormon
“The joining of individuality with interdependence…inspires hope of attaining peace.” — The Humanist Manifesto III
Instead of talking about these virtues, we could try actually adopting them, becoming peacemakers instead of peacetalkers.
Because talking about peace is not the same as making peace. And making peace is not the same as avoiding conflict. Making peace requires positive, consistent action; we must never confuse passivity with pacifism.
Focusing on peace on a civil scale tempts us to run away in despair, or to be overwhelmed into a state of apathy. Instead, make it personal. I alone can’t end a war on the other side of the world, but I can make peace with my brother, my sister, my neighbor.
I alone can end the wars in my own heart — asking for and granting forgiveness, seeking to understand instead of shouting to be understood. Let peace begin with me.