"Everyone wants peace until they realize what it requires."
When I see this quote, it takes me back to my drama club days, that day one of my senior made me see peace in a whole new light. We were to present something to the club, it was impromptu but it could be anything; a speech, a monologue, an act, a dance, anything that pertains to performing arts. While I was having a mini panic attack, I heard one of my seniors narrating a story of two artists picked by the royal family to paint a portrait depicting peace, that whosoever had the best painting would be rewarded. The first one, in his portrait was the beach, with the ocean calm as ever and the birds flying freely, it was beautiful while the second also drew the beach but the ocean was wild and raging and everything was chaotic but just by the corner was a bird in a little nest not even bothered by the storm going on, it was at peace.
At this point she asked a very important question. She asked which one of this artist do you think would win? I my young undeveloped mind I said the first one, that painted the calm sea, everything is peaceful in his painting but I was shocked to hear her saying No. Then she further explained that, although the second painting is chaotic, the bird in that nest is the one truly depicts what true peace is because it didn't let the storm affect it. At the time I didn't understand but now I do.
In the world today, we are being told that peace has to look a certain way, has to be calm or even beautiful. We think that it means a state of 'no' chaos or silence or even lack of conflict but we fail to realize what true peace is, that it can be ugly and hard to reach. Peace isn't when everything is calm and there are no hiccups, it's how we respond when we are faced with difficulties. It's whether we choose to let storms affect us or not.
Peace can mean changing your tone even when you're upset, it is taking time to process and see if the situation needs the reaction you are about to give, not making everything an argument. Peace is listening before responding, not listening to respond but to understand. It's setting boundaries and respecting people's boundaries, it's understanding that people's lives don't revolve around you and you are not entitled to anybody. It is also protecting your space and not letting just anybody disrupt your calm.
Some of us wants peace or we think we want peace but sometimes you just want control. But true peace require accountability, you can't want peace when you are responding in toxic ways, you are explosive and a walking land mine and you expect peace. You can't crave peace when you are everyone else's storm. To have peace requires to give it to others.
So if you still want peace ask your self if you are one to give peace too, because peace starts with you.
It's Abeegail Thanks for reading 😊
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