Charlotte’s Neighborhood

Right now, somewhere over in the Middle East, crouched behind a boulder or hunkered down in a foxhole, are countless young men and women praying to God for relief from the horrible situation they're in. They're not sure how they got there, but it is certain that they would much rather be cruising down the road with their friends back home or planning for the future with their loved ones. Instead, they could die by bullet at any instant and there is no one they can turn to: no sergeant, no captain, no friendly farmers or shepherds, nobody...

Their only line of defense against the insanity they're facing is you and me, the peacemakers of the world. We are the ones, from thousands of miles away, who must represent our beautiful children in their time of need. Their mothers and fathers didn't speak out when they had the chance, nor did any help come from the lawmakers and leaders who supposedly care for them. In fact, when the smoke of war settles and the truth finally comes to light, it will be shown, unequivocally, that "the supposed caring lawmakers and leaders" are the conscious perpetrators of our conflicts in the first place, and they, like hungry vipers, get a kick out of all the suffering and death.

It's a hard concept to grasp onto - that our leaders, not some impoverished, disgruntled middle easterners, are the ones we must defend ourselves against; and that, for eons, they've been using every deceitful tactic imaginable to perpetuate the fear and death and keep us from living in peace. What will it take for us to wake up and reject their same-old solutions and agendas? How bad does it have to get before we demand peace from our leaders? Must we, like the young soldiers frightened in the foxholes, be facing imminent death before we stand up and shout, "God Help Me! I want to live! I want peace NOW!"

Or will we wait until the vipers have all but squeezed the life out of us and it's too late?

"Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called the Children of God."

From The Bible

"I talk only on behalf of peace. I ask you to reject all aggressive solutions from this day forward and to approach all others--no matter where we live or how we look--as equals, equals whose dreams call out for fulfillment . . . just as your dreams call out for fulfillment . . . just as your children's dreams are calling out . . .

"May we possess wisdom enough to enable the dreams of our children. May we feel compassion enough to respect one another's way of life. And may we want peace enough to find it within ourselves and let it spread outward into our world from there."

From The : A Parable for Peace

My Intention for today is:

I Intend that I am making peace whenever I can.

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