“peace. it does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. it means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.”
wall at Sumbrugh, Shetland, UK
Boundaries…
Creating spaces to protect oneself…
From others…
Their demands, the push for more.
Physical boundaries,
Invisible ones too.
Keep out, stay away, leave me alone.
Boundaries from the unknown,
Create fear
What’s outside?
What’s lurking?
Who’s there?
To separate what’s mine from yours.
It is my right to create my space.
Self:
in the center protected by the wall from all intruders.
wall at Sumbrugh, Shetland, UK
Yet, what if I’m not the center?
I’m on the outside looking in?
Longing to be part of your center…
Let me in.
Let me be part of your space.
Won’t you share your space with me?
Open up your walls
Dissolve the fortress.
Welcome others with open arms
To create a community.
When will we break down the personal and country divides?
When will we honor the people and the land and move freely about the Earth?
When will all be free to choose peace in place?
Reawick, Shetland, UK
Peace tip #4
I wrote this poem this summer during a writing course focused on “Sense of Place.” More to come on this later… I’ve been asked “what was I thinking?” I suppose the more important question is “what does this make you feel?”
We are in a time of building walls in the name of protection, some real and perhaps some fabricated. We wear masks, we stay inside, we create large personal bubbles (e.g. social distancing), we close out others, we build physical walls around our property, our countries…
Today, I ask you to reflect on what boundaries are there, self-imposed or built by others that keep you from a sense of peace?
What if you are on the outside looking in?
Looking forward to reading your thoughts…
St Ninians’ Isle, Shetland, UK
Updates.
Oh my, your experiences with the trees from Day 3 was inspiring. I love the connection that so many of you have with the trees whether it’s in your house, garden, forest, or even a memory.
As a reminder, I’ll be providing an extra special give-away at the end of the 21 days. If you submit a meaningful comment (or email it to me), you’ll be eligible to have your name in a drawing. I’m doing this because it truly helps us build community, a vital component of peace. Also, your ideas and suggestions may be just what sparks and idea for someone else. Plus this encourages you to stay engaged on a daily basis, an additional aspect of peacebuilding.
It’s never too late to participate in the knit-along. Knowing that 100’s of others are knitting the same project as you around the world in the name of peace is a powerful thing. The pattern is available on Ravelry and The Healthy Knitter website.
abandoned croft hoose, outside of Reawick, Shetland, UK