“Just as one candle lights another
and can light thousands of other candles,
so one heart illuminates another heart
and can illuminate thousands of other hearts. ”
And here we are on December 1.
A day filled with so much meaning.
Today would have been the 1st day of Project Peace 2021, the 6th annual.
Yet, I’ve been quiet. Wanting to say “yes.” I’ve created a pattern, identified a theme, had the artwork designed, and yet, the ability to pull off this huge endeavor has not arisen. It’s not that my heart isn’t in it…
I don’t write much about my day job as a professor at a large university. I teach nutrition to seniors and graduate students who aspire to become future dietitians. Last year, the shift to online teaching took a huge amount of effort and was taxing on students and faculty.
As the pandemic lingers, the toll this is taking on our educational system is immense. We hear a lot about the impact of the pandemic on the health care system and the food system but the long-lasting ramifications to the educational system feels like the elephant in the room.
My energy and attention this fall has been almost entirely on adapting my teaching approach. The transition from online, back into the classroom was not as easy a shift as most of us anticipated. We have not returned to normal.
And so, my wonderful, inspiring, peaceful friends, I had to chose.
We need peace
for ourselves,
for each other,
for the Earth.
We need each other.
I’m hopeful that the seeds we’ve planted over the last 5 years of Project Peace will now be able to grow. There are over 100 Project Peace blog posts from the past 5 years filled with suggestions and ideas. I’ve created a little list of some ideas (see below) in case you have reserved the month of December to intentionally focus on peace.
Please know that this is not a decision that was easy to make. I kept hoping the day would come when I’d say “yes, I can muster the energy to do this.” Yet with each passing day, I knew that it would not have been the right choice. I needed to let go…
Yesterday, I found the Leo Tolstoy quote which spoke to me quite deeply. Perhaps Project Peace, thus far has been a candle that lit many other candles. And now, I ask all of you to be that one candle that lights the candles of peace for others.
This is not the end of Project Peace. Perhaps this time of resting, reflecting, and recharging will lead me to the next chapter of Project Peace.
Some peace tips:
Create a peace ritual… mine involves making my morning coffee, lighting a candle, and sitting in the dark as night gives way to the light of day. I’ll be lighting a candle each morning from now until 12/21. Will you join me?
What 5 things do you want to accomplish today? After I finish my peace ritual, I write down 5 priorities for the day. If a priority is not completed I can then reflect on why. I’ve found this to be a very peaceful activity.
Invite some friends to share a meal or afternoon coffee/tea (pandemic appropriate). Peace is all about sharing food.
Write a hand-written letter to a friend or family member. I recently returned some handwritten comments to my college seniors and many of them said “I can’t read cursive.” Let’s keep penmanship alive!
Watch the moon each morning/night. While I didn’t do a great job this year posting with each new or full moon, I was still attentive to her daily presence and changes. I’ve found a lot of comfort in connecting my day with the ebb and flow of the moon.
I know that several people from previous years have started their own peace group. Some groups send a daily message to participants whereas others meet weekly, some face-to-face, others via “zoom.” Why not create your own peace tips to share with others… music suggestions, quotes that inspire, books that you’ve read and enjoyed, etc.
My delightful and inspiring friend, Dotty from The Net Loft has been leading free watercolor journaling zoom meetings all year. She even offers a free workshop on how to get started. There’s one happening this Saturday. Learn more here.
Also a friend, Anna Brones, is now on her 5th year of writing a daily note during Advent. It’s called the “24 days of making, doing, and being” digital advent calendar. It’s filled with inspiration and delivered to your inbox each morning from December 1-24. It’s $5 and you can sign up here.
A podcast that I very much enjoy is OnBeing. You can find more details here.
Make time to be kind to yourself.
Take a walk or sit outside and say hi to all who dwell outside… the birds, the flowers, trees, etc. Why not start up a conversation?
I just love this version of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. Listen here.
Please use this space to share peace tips with one another if you wish.
May you have a December filled with presence, intention, and kindness.
I’ll be sitting by my candle each morning at 6:30 am for anyone who wants to join me in spirit. I welcome the positive, peaceful, collective energy.
Peace be with you.
Peace… one breath, one stitch, and one step at a time.
~Christina