One of the things that we should cherish at all cost is peace. You will agree with me that when someone has experienced darkness, then he will understand that true value and worth of light. In the same way, if someone has experience chaos, war, or any other form of violence, then he will appreciate the need for peace. As a matter of fact, coexisting peacefully with others is the basis of our humanity and it is what brings about growth and development. Of course, a place that is always torn by war will have little or no growth and development.
If you will think deeply, you will understand that things that matter much to humankind are neither gotten through conflict nor through chaos. There are times that things will happen and you will just look and tell yourself "for peace to reign, I will let it pass." If your actions can incite violence at the end, then it is not worth it. What will you gain if after you have gained a moment and then lose both yourself and your humanity? For the sake of peace, there are things that you should not be found doing, not because they are bad but because they are not worthwhile.
No matter what someone did or did not do, your response or reaction is a true reflection of who you really are. If you will pause for a moment to think of your actions even at the face of provocation, you will know if the actions are worth it or not. Sometimes, you will understand that silence could be a better response in some situations than speaking or acting. Even if you want to speak or act, there is always a better way of doing it to get the best result and not to end up provoking unnecessary evil.
I give you this analogy: if a housefly perches on the head of your grandfather, will you use a sledgehammer to hit the fly? Even if you kill the fly, you will still end up hurting your grandfather badly. So you see, it is not enough to achieved the result, but how do you achieve it, do you create a bigger evil through your process? Trust me, as the days go by, challenges and trials will come your way - you cannot dodge them, except you do not want to relate with people. As long as you come in contact with people, and as long as you do not share the same ideology and whatnot with them, there will be conflict of interest and of course, provocation at some points, but it is the way you respond to these provocations that will determine if you are on the pathway of peace or violence.
When you look at the consequences of chaos, you will understand why peace is the only option. The truth is that anyone can live in peace with everyone, it is only a matter of choice. The same way violence is a choice, peace is also a choice. No one has neither the gift of peace nor the monopoly of violence. Everyone's actions are resultant effects of their choices. This is why we have to make the choice to live in peace with people. Even if you disagree with someone's ideology or idea, there is a way to peacefully welcome it without agreeing to it. Always note that you are the direct beneficiary of the peace you give.
Peace is not what you profess with your mouth nor a title that is given to one, but it should reflect on your actions. Even if your name is "Peace," it is not a guarantee that you will exhibit peace unless you have consciously put in efforts to live the life of peace. More so, if your attitude and your character is not in line with what peace demands, then you are not peaceful. That is, peace should be followed with everyone, not to some selected few. If you show peace to certain individuals and you do not show it to others, then you are not peaceful. One of the major problems of humankind comes from the fact that they not totally but selectively show peace. Peace should be shown to all or none.
However, for you to live in peace with others, you have to first make peace with yourself. There are many things about your life that you may not be able to change - like your past, so you have to learn to make peace with that so that it will not weaken you. You can only extend peace to others if you have attained a state of inner peace. So make peace with yourself first before you can make peace with others.
Thanks for reading
