TheWRITEaddiction.com

As we celebrate the joys of Christmas, my wish is for peace on earth. This phrase is loosely thrown around and usually people start talking about major life events and changes than can bring peace to our communities, country and the world. I want to take a different approach because I believe peace begins within. If we become at peace with ourselves, the world will automatically become more peaceful. Peaceful people share peace. All that sounds fine and dandy but how do we become at peace with ourselves.

The Merriam Webster’s definition of peace is “1: a state of tranquility 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”

All of these definitions lend themselves to a state of tranquility or quiet. When there is tranquility, there is no strife, tension, quarreling, only harmony. Think about a beautiful orchestra playing. The violinists are playing something different from the cellists while the percussionists are playing something totally different from the bassists, but it all works together. It sounds beautiful. The harmonies complement one another and any dissonant notes are quickly resolved within a measure or two. In this journey of life, we each have something to play. It may not sound like the person’s next to us or even like our spouse’s or parent’s, but it’s still relevant and needed. All of us are important and bring something to the table. Don’t be afraid to play your part! Play it with confidence and play it loudly. Don’t worry if you stumble on someone else’s part for a moment. Realize it, stop and get back on your part.

We become at peace with ourselves by understanding God created each of us for a unique purpose. We each have something to contribute. We each have a gift worthy of respect. We are valuable to others. We are loved by God unconditionally. We are beautiful just the way we are. We are good enough without adding artificial pieces to our being.

Peace seeks to do good to others—even our enemies. It seeks to make rights wrong. It seeks to love others even with their faults. Just as each of us has a different part to play in this world, we have a different part to play at school, work, as a parent, as a child, as a friend, as a spouse, at church, in the community, when we play our parts at the right time, we make beautiful music. Music that moves the soul to continue in peace; music that draws in people of all races; music that appreciates and plays off of diversity; music that gets out of a comfort zone to embrace something new; music that finds the good in people; music that joins a husband and wife through years of marital bliss; music that spends quality time with family; music that doesn’t leave at the first encounter with an obstacle. Music that provides hope…hope that can withstand any hardship. Music full of peace…peace on earth!  Merry Christmas!

~Coletta Jones Patterson