A Recipe For Peace (Kate Soles)

Peace. The word conjures up images of white flags, of warring factions laying down their arms, biting their tongues and agreeing to coexist in harmony. We strive to maintain it within our families, we give thanks for its pervasiveness in Canada, we pray that it eventually comes to the Middle East.

But peace extends beyond pacifism; it means more than the absence of war. To varying degrees, peace exists within each of us in the form of calmness and tranquility. This peacefulness comes from quiet reflection, from releasing the past, from abandoning the fragmentation of fear.

Like Laurel, I suffer from anxiety and panic disorder. I find it almost impossible to sit still and let go of my worries; I would find it even harder to completely clear my mind for meditation. I smiled when I read that, whenever Laurel chooses a task from her do-list, she feels guilty that she can’t do everything else on her list at the same time. I feel exactly the same.

So does a remedy exist? Can one write a recipe for inner peace? Combine a sense of harmony with doses of justice, love and unity. Mix at a graceful pace, without allowing yourself to become overwhelmed. Filter out any anger and discord before finishing with the most important ingredient: belief in yourself. If only it were as easy as baking a cake!