I found this picture in my Walk for Peace file, inside of the shared file, inside of the iCloud photos file; all of which I accessed through my tablet (which happens to be an iPad). Although all of this electronic filing enables me to post photos I’ve taken since the Walk for Peace began, I find I’m nearly always surprised and pleased when I manage to locate, upload and post a picture to my blog.
When I came upon this photo, I was immediately taken back in my thoughts to the day I took it. I was recovering from my knee revision surgery, and longing to be back out Walking for Peace. Since that time, I have Walked in Oregon, Washington and Vancouver, Canada. I’ve had the fortune of having amazing conversations about Peace with people along the way.
Today however, I cannot help but wonder what the conversations about Peace would be like with people living in countries such as Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq for example. What would Peace look like for someone in a country where every day is focused on finding a safe place to be? Or where water and food are scarce enough to be considered luxuries. I also wonder what a conversation about Peace would be like with the people directly affected by the shooting that took place in Florida just two weeks ago. And, what about Peace in countries where disease is at epic proportions, and days are spent seeking relief from the complications of illness? What would the discussion about Peace bring in areas of extreme poverty; where one wonders when (or if) the next meal will come?
I don’t know if I will have the opportunity to Walk for Peace and have conversations with people who are challenged in the ways I spoke of above.
What I do know is that as I move forward from this place of wondering, I will hold in my heart the people I’ve been blessed enough to meet, and those I haven’t.