“The cure is care. Caring for others is the practice of peace. Caring becomes as important as curing. Caring produces the cure, not the reverse. Caring about nuclear war and its victims is the beginning of a cure for our obsession with war. Peace does not come through strength. Quite the opposite: Strength comes through peace. The practices of peace strengthen us for every vicissitude. . . . The task is immense!”
~ Sargent Shriver
In the news of the day, leaders of countries are finding ways to insult one another publicly; each barb a bit harsher than the one before. This angry, inciteful behavior breaks down the communication between nations, weakening international relationships, and damaging people’s morale. The obsession with the mindset of war; based in power and separateness is counter intuitive to Peaceful discourse. And, the world is watching.
At the same time, in the wake of hurricanes, earthquakes and flooding all around the world, people are coming together and caring for each other. They are offering assistance to people they don’t know, coming together to find new ways of being after natural disasters have wreaked havoc in their lives and communities. Every day, there is example after example of character and strength in the acts of compassion and kindness the people share with one another as they begin the arduous task of rebuilding their lives. The very nature of the conditions, obstacles and experiences these people are navigating can be extraordinarily stressful, anxiety ridden, frightening and overwhelming. Yet somehow, the majority of the people are Peacefully finding strength in those around them. And the world is watching.
On March 1, 1961, the Peace Corps was established by Executive Order #10924. Founded by President John F. Kennedy, Sargent Shriver, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Harris Wofford and Mark Shriver, the stated mission of the Peace Corps includes providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand American culture, and helping Americans to understand the cultures of other countries. Under the direction of Sargent Shriver, the Peace Corps had more than 14,500 volunteers in 55 countries. And the world was watching.
For this Peace Walker, the practices of Peace can be as simple as running an errand for a friend, or helping a stranger in the midst of a crisis; or as complex as volunteering to be of service in a foreign country, away from friends and family. The practices of Peace begin with an understanding that I am no more or less than the person next to me, and that our common humanity is where we will find strength to be in Peace. And in this Peace, we become the world we want to watch.