Tag: peace

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Finding Peace in a World at War

Recently, there has been much buzz over the President’s State of the Union Address as well as the associated protestations of his detractors. Opinions abound. Numerous comments, in both professional and personal media, sadly reinforce already well-established biases. Often, today’s commentators abandon critical reasoning, and instead, resort to spinning every societal happening into confirmation bias.

Linguistic yoga has reached a new level as polarized pundits witness the same event and then mutilate the facts in such a way as to advance their own pre-determined agendas. These pontificators of cultural righteousness see nothing wrong with their side and everything wrong with the other.

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Peace Be Still

Boat sailingAn easy metaphor for our current reality is a boat on a storm-tossed sea. A graphical representation of that metaphor could be painted as miles of ocean surrounding a tiny boat that is tilting to one side about to be engulfed by a large wave, as torrents of rain pour from above. Such a picture would provide an observer a singular perspective of the dangers of the storm and the isolation and vulnerability of the vessel.

Unfortunately, such a picture would not represent our modern perspective. That view is too far removed from the actual experience; the sheer terror of turmoil and danger; the pure adrenaline of the moment and the filters of our past experiences. No, our perspective is painted from the boat itself. We are often plagued not only with the fears we know, but also the ones we do not. Mental images of jagged rocks just beneath the surface, vessels and other dangers just beyond our ability to see, circling sharks awaiting their next meal. We are driven by our deepest fears as we desperately cling to some semblance of hope in a future where we can survive.  Continue reading “Peace Be Still”