Ponderings: On Peace

In 2014, Jo_Goldsmith11 took it upon herself to initiate the Light2Love Project Good Words.

Jo pledged to use good words and publish articles used to empower, encourage, support and defend those who need to be shown love.

Jo offered us a good word for each week to focus our thoughts, behaviors and actions on...In the 6th week, Jo wrote her perspective on the word peace.

However, as 2014 came to an end, Jo filed away her Good Word articles - as she begins the process of publishing it in e-book'. Shyron E. Shenko continues to write a beautiful poem to accompany each Good Word to inspire and lead us.

The ripple effect of the Good Words Project throughout the HubVille community has been heartwarming.

Please join me with some of my musical thoughts and reflections on the word peace...

I treasure my personal feeling of inner peace, probably because I didn't always have it. Over the years, I've come to see that I am solely responsible for this feeling.

As a lifetime companion, music has assisted me in finding and maintaining my sense of inner calm.

Instrumental musicians like Vangelis, Tangerine Dream, Andreas Vollenweider feel like a healing balm to my sore muscles and racing mind after a long day, restoring peace once more.

Certain musical artists...Annie Lennox, Michael Jackson, Lenny Kravitz... cry out in their lyrics for us to show peace to each other and our Mother Earth.

I've selected a few of my favorite songs where peace is the plea.

How about you? Are there any songs or lyrics that bring PEACE to you...like these do for me? If so, please share YOURS in the comment section below... thanks, mar!

You may say I’m a dreamer - But I’m not the only one - I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will be as one (1)... Oh I’ve been smiling lately dreaming about the world as one - And I believe it could be some day, it’s going to come (2)... Now stood beside the treasure on the mountain dark and red - Turned the stone and looked beneath it - ‘Peace on Earth’ was all it said (3)... What have we’ve done to the world - Look what we've done (4)...

You see war is not the answer - For only love can conquer hate - You know we’ve got to find a way - To bring some lovin’ here today (5)... A time of love, a time of hate - A time of war, a time of peace - A time you may embrace - A time to refrain from embracing (6)... We got to have joy - True in our hearts - With strength we can't destroy (7)... Here it is once again in our face - Why haven't we learned from our past - We're at the crossroads of our human race (8)... Well we've taken more - Than everything we need (9)...

Yes, how many times can a man turn his head pretending he just doesn't see? (10) ... Come on people now, smile on your brother (11)... All we are sayin' is (12)...

John Lennon - Imagine (1); Cat Stevens - Peace Train (2); Joan Baez - Tin Soldier (3); Michael Jackson - Earth Song (4); Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (5); The Byrds - Turn, Turn, Turn (6); Curtis Mayfield - We Got To Have Peace (7); Lenny Kravitz - We Want Peace (8); Eurythmics - Peace Is Just A Word (9); Bob Dylan - Blowin' in the Wind (10); The Youngbloods - Get Together (11); John Lennon - Give Peace A Chance (12); Tangerine Dream - Light of Creation (13)

Have you ever had a friend that you feel as though you've known forever? Shauna Bowling (bravewarrior) is one of those friends for me.

We met two years ago when I was doing my interview series. I related to so many of her answers to my questions, especially this one:

The times I feel most relaxed ... "I love sitting outside. I have a little bistro set on my front porch and a gazebo with an adjacent outside living room I've created on my back porch. My property is abundant with trees. I love to have my morning coffee outside and watch Mother Nature's world wake up. I have hawks, red-headed woodpeckers, owls, hummingbirds, butterflies, squirrels, racoons, opossums, armadillos, bats.... so much nature at my feet! Evenings are nice too. I love the sound of the night bugs singing in the trees."

This sounds like a perfect description of peace to me.

For Shauna, peace is a mindset and a lifestyle.

Her writing, whether fiction or fact, is always true to her passionate heart and the ongoing quest for peace, both in ourselves and our Mother Earth.

As Sha's friend, I feel total love, support and acceptance from her, even the few times that we have respectfully disagreed. She has taken time to call, offering me specific information and plenty of love after a recent physical injury. Her inner being exudes both enthusiasm and peacefulness to me... and it works!!

I didn't have to think twice when contemplating who to pass the baton of peace to... I'm ever so grateful that Shauna accepted when I asked! Take your time in writing your hub... You are worth the wait!

In signing off, I will copy after Sha... Peace, mar

© Maria Jordan (September, 2014)