Today's question is: Why don't more people encourage peace??
Background: Last night I had the pleasure of attending a private showing of Matt Lamb's art at an event in St. Helena, CA in an effort to fund raise for Lamb Umbrellas for Peace.
It was a very small benefit, maybe 40 people, allowing me the opportunity to meet and speak with Matt Lamb at length. He is fascinating. He is determined. He is a riot. I had a fabulous time.
Matt Lamb is about spreading peace throughout the world, one person at a time. People waste so much time hating others that are different or think different then themselves. Peace is about overlooking those differences and making the choice to get along. No one has to agree with everyone, no one has to believe what everyone else believes, but we MUST be able to coexist, harmoniously.
I woke up today and I just can't help but wonder why everyone doesn't insist on peace? Wouldn't our world be such a greater place if we could just get along and learn to love?
I took this statement from Matt's website because I think it perfectly explains the umbrella project:
Lamb says, “The umbrella is a metaphor for protection - it does not discriminate, and all people – regardless of race, age, gender or country - are safe under its cover. The top of the umbrella is the shelter and represents our hopes, dreams and aspirations. The underside of the umbrella represents our concerns and fears, that which is often closest to us. ”
Boy do I wish more people in this world thought like Matt Lamb.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Peace??
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7 curious comments:
I wish more people thought like that too, Colette. Would you believe someone actually destroyed a peace sticker my mom had on her car? The same thing happened to my brother as well. Both of their cars were parked in STAFF parking at two different high school parking lots. Apparently it was most likely another staff member. In a high school. Amazing and sad.
And hey, those umbrellas are totally cool.
First off, I agree, I'd love to have peace in my life time and I think everyone should be more tolerant of others and their choices.
But I think your question "why everyone doesn't insist on peace?" is interesting, the problem really is that everyone has a slightly different point of view and therefore may see peace differently from you. People who start wars think they are fighting for peace. The other side has it so wrong that the only possible way there could be peace is to bring them to the winning side or remove them. Usually in these cases God is evoked so it is very difficult to argue with them.
This can translate to any bigot - let's say Bob doesn't like purple shirts so he verbally abuses or attacks Steve who loves his purple shirt. Steve is then ashamed or scared so he stops wearing his purple shirt. Bob gets his version of peace through his act of aggression.
I think you and I share the same view of peace though; equal rights and fair treatment of everyone regardless of race, gender, sexuality, age, employment status etc.
I hope that makes sense and I'm making my point properly.
Cris, that is just terrible and sad.
ezekiel, you made your point well and I agree. I struggled with my title question because I didn't want to say 'insist' because that would imply that I'd expect people to think my way and it would sound forced (which, of course, isn't what I was going for). Anyway, I probably should have written in my body, why don't more people encourage peace. Encouraging is a good word for it. We clearly have a problem with encouraging and insisting in our world, huh? Sorry for that little faux pas.
Truth be known, my computer crashed on the airplane on the way out to California. I finally found the business center at the place we were staying and it was in the dark, unbeautiful basement. Not at all the place I had imagined myself writing a blog post while in beautiful, warm Napa Valley, CA. Made my mind a little nutty. I made it back home today, my computer guy will be here tomorrow to hopefully retrieve the contents of my hard drive. New computer shopping I will be doing this week. Now if only I had my email account set up properly on this home laptop, I could make a dent in what is surely going to be a massive email download.
After waking up at 4 in the morning (due to my UN-PEACEFUL diabetic and always hungry/thirsty cat mrroowwing in my face) I kept turning over this post in my brain.
So I decided to lookup Mirriam Webster's definition of peace, the noun, and peace the verb...I found it very interesting and would like to comment more after I get Sam off to school and Charlie down for nap...
Peace, the noun
Etymology: Middle English pees, from Anglo-French pes, pees, from Latin pac-, pax; akin to Latin pacisci to agree — more at pact
Date: 12th century
1: a state of tranquillity or quiet: as a: freedom from civil disturbance b: a state of security or order within a community provided for by law or custom
2: freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions
3: harmony in personal relations
4 a: a state or period of mutual concord between governments b: a pact or agreement to end hostilities between those who have been at war or in a state of enmity
5—used interjectionally to ask for silence or calm or as a greeting or farewell
— at peace : in a state of concord or tranquillity
Peace, the verb
Date: 14th century
obsolete: to be, become, or keep silent or quiet.
Harmony and acceptance...I learn something new everyday with Keara. Maybe it's a different side to the idea but the same none the less. Colette, I heart how your brain works. I agree encouraging is a great word for it.
Jenni
Its funny,
I was thinking of peaceful people (both famous peace-makers and just regular people, friends and family) and people with whose lives and homes I'm familiar, and I realized they all have one major common denominator...they all have very defined personal boundaries in place. I could almost list - just by knowing them, or knowing of them - the things they will tolerate and the things they won't.
Think about it - think about the truly peaceful people you know (not pacifists or "peace-keepers" who like to "keep the peace" at the expense of something else) and you'll probably be able to conjure up a real clear picture of things that they'd approve of/accept/tolerate and things they would not.
People I know who have "chaotic" homes and lives - not a single one of them have good solid personal boundaries and set limits.
Anyway, I thought that was interesting, LOL...
Laura
Basically, peace is not profitable. I don't think greed and peace can co-exist in this world.
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