"Every day we do things, we are things that have to do with peace. If we are aware of our life..., our way of looking at things, we will know how to make peace right in the moment, we are alive."
Thich Nhat Hanh
After pondering the scenery in the above photo and contemplating the saying I began to understand something about peace. I have spent a great deal of time looking for peace. Looking outside of myself for solutions, taking things to alter my state, learning things in hopes of changing how I think, meditating hoping to gain insight. Struggling violently with life on life's terms is not a peaceful place. I had recently come to the conclusion that peace wasn't possible for me. What I think I stumbled on today in a brief meditative practice, by pondering the beautiful scenery and reading Thich Nhat Hanh, is that peace is in this moment. Peace is not some euphoric Shang-gri-la type existence. It is simply the non-existence of inner turmoil in a moment of time.
Moments when I am engaged in meditation or in laughing with friends is peaceful. Inner peace radiates around us and touchs others. When I am at peace it doesn't matter what's going on around me. If I can stay in a given moment with positive thoughts, calm emotions I can maintain inner peace.
