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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account was no longer valid.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?
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