“Peace”
For me, peace has always been related to wholeness. Less violence does, I think, come out of a commitment to peace. But I don’t think peace depends on the ceasing of all violence or all conflict to manifest itself. If this was true, peace would be only an idea, not a tangible reality.
Peace is both tangible and intangible. I recall the image of Nelson Mandela walking out of decades of imprisonment, without bitterness, ready to lead. Many wondered aloud: How can that be possible? How can one person not be embittered the rest of their life having to endure what he endured? The expression is both tangible and intangible. It’s tangible that when we are in the presence of certain people, we feel what we might call peace: a resolute calm, appreciation, openness. I think all of us have met those people at least once, whether it was someone we knew well or a stranger. For me, that person was my grandmother. I felt at ease in her presence in a way that I had never felt with anyone else. I didn’t feel like I needed to do or be anyone in particular. I felt free to play, explore, just be. That experience is tangible, and I remember it to this day.
The intangible is the fundamental freedom of spirit that is each of our birthright. The part of us that can experience forbearance without growing bitter, hard, or cynical. It’s there for each of us, and sometimes that spirit shows up for us without any personal volition or special effort. It’s just there, in a moment of appreciation, a moment of gratitude, a moment of realizing that we are more than our collective pains or traumas. It’s the realization there is something else.
At this church we will have numerous opportunities to explore this “something else” for ourselves. OnAugust 12th we are invited to an Interfaith Shabbat potluck in Wick Park at 6 pm. Please bring yourself and a dish. OnAugust 7th, we will host the Death Cafe, an opportunity to engage what mortality means to us, in good company. And onAugust 20th, Roshi Daiken Nelson will be joining us from Harlem, to co-lead a one day meditation retreat. Please register if you are interested – there will be both in-person and virtual participation available.
And please bring your own passion and interest on the theme of “Peace.” We can always have more diverse expressions and offerings. If there is something that interests you or inspires you, please don’t hesitate to be in touch with me about it. I’m looking forward to a wonderful August with you all.
“Ode to Peace and Joni Mitchell”: A Poem
Joni Mitchell recalls looking at both sides Which side am I on now?
It all seems so upside down Left, right
More right Take a Left Straight on
To the place we’re going To where?
Both sides don’t know
Paperclip on the desk and swirling clouds out the rectangle of the window Rain showering, thunder rolling
Peace arriving on a night train A greyhound bus
A red wheelbarrow with weeds and grass clippings Signs about love and human rights
White doors placed into brick frames A great home for a bat
Or a seeker
Show me the way to peace, why don’t you Show me the way past bitterness and discontent Show me way of the feathers, light and airy
Put my gripes in the wheelbarrow
To fertilize next season’s black-eyed susans
A flower of a distinct color and mysterious name
A hand that knows just what to do with what has been done Find a good spot for it
Create a place for growth
Beauty against the backdrop of a grey sky
In Faith, Rev. Joseph