Dona Nobis Pacem

As I type this, it’s “BlogBlast For Peace” Eve. I sat down wondering if I’d remember how to blog. You see, it’s been a very long time and I had pretty much given it up, not really feeling the urge or inspiration to write anything. But Mimi has a way of asking without asking and I am a Peace Bee after all.

When I was a kid, the future Peace Hippie that I was, loved the song “I’d like to teach the world to sing… in perfect harmony” (heh! Caught you singing it to yourself, didn’t I? *snort* It’s ok, as cheesy as it is, it’s darn catchy)… Well, it dawned on me tonight that my beloved Queen Mimi has been doing just that. She’s been gathering us together, giving each voice a forum and she manages to make us all sound and look awesome. Fitting for a Maestra, no? She takes voices from all over the world, all unique, and she brings us together for a common purpose and dream: Peace. Mimi knows how to conduct the choir and put on quite the show with costumes and everything!

So I sat down and read last year’s post once again. That left me wondering… is there really anything else I can say? I still feel the words I wrote last year. I still long for understanding. I still believe it’s essential.

"I do not want the peace that passeth understanding. I want the understanding which bringeth peace."

- Helen Keller

And then it hit me (don’t worry, I’m fine…. it was a warm tingly kind of feeling *smile* - nothing actually fell on me or smacked me). You see, this is how these posts happen. I goof around looking for songs that give me the “A-ha!” feeling (not to be confused with the musical group A-ha, although I’m sure they give some people the tingles) and those songs then inspire the post. I turned to Arlo Guthrie once more. He served me well last year and he always makes me smile, a good thing to be doing when trying to save the world and bring about World Peace (that last bit sounds really awesome if you say it in a booming superhero voice, by the way).

And there it was, my Peace song. (You have to wait a little to hear it, okay? Because I have something I have to say first, thanks. No cheating and scrolling down allowed. *wink*).

“Difference is of the essence of humanity. Difference is an accident of birth and it should therefore never be the source of hatred or conflict. The answer to difference is to respect it. Therein lies a most fundamental principle of peace: respect for diversity.”

- John Hume

In the past few weeks, we’ve been hearing the stories of LGBT youths who have committed suicide because of bullying, because of small mindedness and fear and misunderstanding… and because they despaired, feeling things would never get better. Some really awesome people have been stepping up to remind the young ones out there who are struggling with who they are and who feel that diversity will never be embraced that it will get better.

"Civilizations should be measured by the degree of diversity attained and the degree of unity retained." 

-W.H. Auden

Last year, my question was: why? Why aren’t we there yet? Now, my question is, why not? When people say it’ll never happen, we’ll never have Peace, I say: why not?!

"Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and ask why not."

- Robert Kennedy

Even in days like these, where diversity brings strife and sorrow, we must remember… things will get better and we will live in a culture of Peace, Understanding, Acceptance and Love. Why? Because we dream of Peace… and we act on those dreams.

"We may have different religions, different languages, different colored skin, but we all belong to one human race."

- Kofi Annan

Okay… NOW you can listen to the song *giggle*.

“I know the storm will soon be over

The howling winds will cease to be.

I walk with friends from every nation

On freedom's highway in times like these.”

-Arlo Guthrie

Peace! Don't forget to go visit Mimi and the other BlogBlast for Peace contributors HERE

I’ve also included last year’s song… because it’s just perfect for a day like today.