Dona Nobis Pacem 2012 - By the power of our words...

For several years now, I have participated in the Blogblast for Peace. I am one of many who believe that words are important, that they have power... and that they will bring us Peace.

Every year I wonder, what more can I say. I think to myself: "the people who will read this post don’t need convincing. They know. They believe."

  

And then, a story brings me new perspective.

Just a couple of weeks ago, a young Irish lad of 9 found a bottle that washed up on the shore near his village.  In it he found a message that had been written 8 years ago by two young girls from Canada. The two girls had been 12 when they wrote the message. He couldn’t make it out because it was written in French, but that didn’t diminish his excitement. He was determined to find out what the message said. With the help of his grandfather (ah, the wisdom of a grandfather, right Mimi?) and Google Translate, he did. 

The girls had included an e-mail address on the message and asked that whoever found the bottle contact them so they would know how far it had traveled. Filled with excitement, the lad wrote to the girls. Sadly, the account was no longer valid. But with the help of newspapers, and with a story that captured people’s imagination, word of the search made its way to the authors of the note.

The young ladies never dreamed their little note, their words, would navigate across an ocean and after so many years had all but forgotten their little missive. When they heard that their bottle had been found so very far, they were elated. They reached out to the lad and had a wee chat using Skype. Next year, the young women will travel to Ireland to meet their new friend and fetch their bottle.

Words... they do grand things.

Sometimes, it’s not the message.. it’s how far a little gesture can go. It’s the journey...

For as long as we are called upon, we will send our own words, our own missives out into the world... reaching out in friendship. 

For Peace.  

For us all.

 This song has become my Blogblast for Peace anthem... sing along, okay?