Very few things in life are as valuable as peace of mind. That has been illuminated for me as I watch myself and others longing for and often failing to capture a peaceful heart.
Really, how can one be peaceful in this world? So much is on Facebook about the government shut down, the president, and congress. People are riled. Jobs are being lost. Insurances changed. Premiums rising. Taxes assessed. It is enough to make a person feel churned up inside. Some actually believe the photoshopped picture of Mt. Rushmore being covered by a tarp. I will say my favorite FB post was the one that said: "the Washington Redskins are changing their name. Because of the hatred, violence and rancor caused by the name, they will from now on be known simply as the Redskins." LOVE THAT! Just a little levity in the midst of a lot of anxiety.
Peace is hard to find when loved ones feel terrorized. Just this week I have talked to someone waiting for news from medical tests that will either leave her with some time to coast, or cause her to have to make some really tough decisions. Another friend, waiting in the hospital for a heart transplant, learned this week that he has a cancerous nodule on his thyroid which removed him from the transplant list. Another friend anxious over a pregnancy; another whose adult son is very ill. I talked with someone whose marriage is in a shambles..."we just don't get along." I know others who are burdened with financial strain. One told me of her mother in the nursing home who is just not right in her head making her very difficult. We hear stories of war torn countries, hurricanes bearing down on innocent people, child abuse, and murder. One friend told me of an acquaintance who is dying of a brain tumor, and her nine year old son is being physically and violently bullied at school. Peace? Where can peace be found in the midst of this turmoil?
For me, a believer in Jesus, certainly I am told that peace can be found in Him. I believe that, but sometimes it is so very elusive. He is not elusive, but my ability to tap into His peace is.
Oftentimes, peace is an "inside job." Finding what brings peace to our spirits is probably about as varied as there are people. Exercise, meditation, yoga, prayer, Candy Crush (nah), Bible study, Hallmark movies, just lying on the sofa and being quiet, self-talk, spending time with friends, not spending time with friends, not watching the news or reading the paper, watching the news and reading the paper. Whatever it is, we each need a source of peace. Finding peace in our circumstances does not mean that we are unaware of our circumstances. It just means we have made a choice.
I found some peace in my heart today spending it in companionable conversation on a beautiful day during a short road trip with Nancy. We talked and laughed and commiserated and encouraged each other. I feel peaceful this afternoon. Nothing that was robbing me of my peace has been removed from my life. But with some time away, I am able to see it a bit better. I find peace when Mr. Lincoln gives me a good long hug. It is home. Peace for me is a stroll through Radnor (not with 2 babies and no stroller, that's just stupid) or Cheekwood. Peace for me is my house to myself for a few hours. I find peace making up my mind to see my surroundings as I wish them to be and not as they are...what potholes in the driveway? If I cannot fix it, for whatever reason, I choose not to let it rob me of my peace....most of the time. Sometimes I just cave in a become a screaming maniac...in my head...rarely do I really scream where others can hear me. I am searching for peace...always searching for peace.
So for today, I wish you peace and I wish you
blessings
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