Choosing to be a Peaceful Warrior

I just received one of those forward e-mails suggesting it be passed on to everyone I know if I agree with the sentiment of the writer. It was filled with so much anger and hatred I couldn’t ever read it all. My first thought was to delete it but I decided to walk away for a few moments and see if I could come up with a different way to handle all that rage.

This is my response and I’m sending it out as a blog and to all the people listed on the e-mail.

There is truth to all the incidents listed in the letter, beginning with 9/11 and going through a very long list of horrors and atrocities that have been perpetrated since then. I will not list them as it simply fuels the fires of fear, rage and hatred that are already altogether too strong in our world today. The piece even suggests the author might make a good candidate for president.

I simply want to remind everyone of some simple truths we have all observed in our lifetime. Has war ever produced a lasting peace? Has hatred ever produced love? Has rage ever produced anything worthwhile?

Do we have a right to be angry? Yes! But exactly how does that anger benefit us? The acts committed were unforgiveable, it’s true. But we must forgive if we want to change things. As long as we keep the rage alive the killing and maiming will continue.

We each have a choice, every moment of our lives. We can choose love over hatred. We can choose forgiveness over revenge. We can choose peace over war - in our hearts and minds.

Do you have the courage to be a peaceful warrior? Do you have the courage to pray for all of the men, women and children fighting in wars all over the world; that they find love in their hearts and recognize that we are truly all one people? Do you have the courage to hold love and compassion in your heart and recognize the personal hell each individual who participates in war produces for themselves?

I do not say any of this to, in any way, diminish the sacrifice and dedication of our troops overseas. They are doing a job to the best of their ability with courage and a belief that they are truly serving their country in the best possible way.

I simply want to suggest that we who are here could better support their efforts with love and compassion than with hatred. If we as individuals can make a conscious choice to send a loving message out into the world, the world will begin to change. We have the power to do that. As we send out hatred it perpetuates war. As we send out love it will bring peace and bring the troops home.

So let us make a new choice today. Water the flowers and not the weeds. Choose love over hatred. Send your loving energy out into the world. Be the love you hope to see in the world. And remember our children learn to relate to the world through us. If we have fear and hatred, so do they. If we choose love and compassion, our children will be much more likely to do the same.

I send blessing to all.

If you agree- - - or even if you just wish it could be so - - - pass it on