“A certain darkness is needed to see the stars.”
And here we are on the 21st day of our journey together on this path of peace. Sharing my morning with all of you has been a delight. You truly are the brightness in this world that has come to feel a bit chaotic and dark. It is my wish that we'll continue to find time in our day to create a space of peace whether it's in the still of the morning with coffee and knitting, sitting and just being, or maybe a walk in the afternoon. Find that time that's just for you... create that ritual and then hold onto it tight. That ritual is like the cupboard in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe... it's the gateway to something grand.
Before I tell you the rest of the story, if you have not had a chance to read Chapter 1 of the story I wrote for all of you, please read it now.
Chapter 2.
And so her adventure began... Candace walked, walked and walked. She climbed mountains, scurried down hillsides. She stopped to marvel in all that was around her and to breathe in the fresh air. She met people that were happy and those that were sad. She asked everyone she met what peace meant to them pondering each response. Since she knew not where she was going, she relied upon the advice of strangers to point her in the right direction. Through good times and the bad, Candace moved forward on her quest knowing that she must find a cure for Penny.
Meanwhile back in the village, the villagers gathered in the community center to discuss how they might assist Penny, the one that had provided them with all their basic needs. They recognized that Penny could not continue to give for if she did there would be nothing left. And so, a shift began to occur. The villagers began to care for Penny providing her with nourishment, warmth and friendship. They sat by her bedside through the long dark hours of the night...giving back but also in those quiet moments accepting their role as provider and giver.
No one really knew how long Candace had been gone yet she was beginning to grow weary from the long, hard days of travel. The days were growing darker and colder and Candace began to feel hopeless in her efforts to save her friend. She stopped in a quiet spot in the forest overlooking the ocean. She listened to the sound of the wind in the trees and watched the waves roll up on the shore. She began to weep... "how can I save my friend?" She reached in her knapsack and found an orange. As she peeled the orange and slowly ate each segment she pondered the simplicity yet wondrous orange. It was at this moment that Candace knew the cure for Penny and where she needed to be.
Candace walked and walked and walked. As she drew closer to the village, she began to notice the forest looked healthier, a vibrancy existed that hadn't been there before. She rounded the corner and saw the most magnificent sight... knitted flags surrounded the village waving proudly in the breeze. The flags knitted by each member of the community in honor of all that Penny had given. There in the center of the village stood Penny as strong as ever awaiting the return of her beloved friend.
Candace had learned that the cure to what ailed Penny had already been found. A peaceful community gives and receives; the people are connected and dependent upon one another to share their dreams and hopes as well as sorrows and grief.
Now it would be wonderful if we could say that from here forward all was good but that my friends would put an unrealistic expectation on how to achieve peace. Instead, the villagers came to realize that peace was a choice and not an expectation.
The end.
This story was inspired by Project Peace 2017, Candide by Voltaire, The Odyssey, and the four elements (Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water). Penny was short for Penelope, Ulysses' wife who knit by day and frogged by night waiting in the hopes that Ulysses would return. Penny also represented Earth and our continual dependence on what she can give. Candace represented Candide who searched the earth for utopia only to discover that the physical place of perfection was not all he quested.
Day 21. Peace tip.
It's solstice. A day in the Northern Hemisphere that is the shortest and darkest with the promise that the light will return whereas in the Southern Hemisphere it is a day to celebrate all the wonders of the light. Today's tip is to ask that you take time to reflect on peace. This isn't the end of your journey but rather the beginning. Where do you go from here?
Knit for peace today... in solitude, in a group, in public, in your home. Light a candle for peace.
GIVE-AWAY
Jaala from KnitCircus has generously provided some incredible yarn including a skein of the most amazing colorway "peace, love and understanding" for the final give-away for Project Peace. KnitCircus is a yarn company committed to creating beautiful yarns with a giving spirit. Jaala will host a kindness knit-along in the New Year so be sure to sign-up for her newsletter to find out more.
To enter the blog, leave a comment about peace... something that made you say "wow" during the last 21 days. I'll close the entries at 6 a.m. central time on 12/22. I'll send a final email tomorrow announcing the winners of the candle and yarn give-aways.
~peace is a journey... one stitch and step at a time.
Christina
Photo by August Wren. Used with permission.