My Peace Within Everyday

This stone symbolises my peace.

There is this saying that peace is found within us and it is in my nature to stay away from passing on any limiting saying or belief, but I think we can expand on ideas and make them grow and support us on our ever evolving path through life. 

So, I'll add to this notion that peace can be found within

• moments
• conversations
• creations
• inspired ideas
• images in our mind
• laughter and hugs
• paying it forward
• syncronicity
• a heart overflowing
• tears of joy
• gratitude
• one red paperclip or in this case one white stone

Out of our gratitude the list can grow and we can get caught up in the list and sidetracked. Peace is simplicity. 

Peace exists so significantly within our life experience already.

It is a controversial concept that does not hold well for the victims in war or abuse. There is no justification for either. But there is peace in the outpouring of love for those people. There is peace in knowing that you only want to do the best for those people in your circle, and the chance encounters with people you meet every day.

If I think like that, I know others do.

But what of those living without food and clean water? That's a fair question too, they aren't experiencing any peace.

But peace still exists in the human spirit.

There are people everywhere taking inspired actions for others who are not in their circle,  who they will never meet ordinarily on the street, founding projects to pay that peace forward.  The peace they have of arriving home at the end of a long day with food to cook , clean water to drink and bathe in and to wash their clothes and dishes is shared. Peace exists in them to be able to share it. Peace  is a shared experience. It is caring for another in a way that empowers them to live an amazing life. The thank you received is in the living of that amazing life with peace in the availability of everyday necessities.

Is it not beautiful that a person wants to do something for another that they know will never return the favor? And that there is more than one person, more than a handful, more than a seminar full, more than a national fundraiser full, more than a bestselling book full, or a TED talk full streaming to its huge audience. There's Facebook likes full, millions of them. That's a lot of 'full's. When you experience peace you are full and you want to share it.  There are musicans in recording studios creating songs that come from their heart that when you hear it your spine tingles and your eyes well with tears.

That IS the human spirit.

There is peace in the challenges if you see them as opportunities. There is peace in rejections if you know that each rejection is a sign that that thing is not right for you and the best is yet to come. There is peace in delays if you're waiting in a line, because you honor that person behind the counter that is trying their absolute best to keep up with the demand.

There is peace to be found when someone is trying to bring you down on purpose, because you know that they don't know there is peace and they are hurting themselves more than you living within a violent inner world. How horrible would it be to not feel touched by the human spirit, not have that desire to inspire and uplift others in your circle? You are able to choose to walk away and still want peace for them.

There is peace found everyday, everywhere it's just that in some places there are gaps. Where people have forgotten. We just need to fill in the gaps until there is none. One space at a time. Or many spaces by many people working together.

The stone picked up by my son and hidden in a closed fist accompanied by a big smile reminded me of my peace.

Sandy Lee Jones

facebook.com/everydayhumanspirit