I Want Peace!

Peace is a state of mutual harmony between people or groups, especially in personal relations. It is true that this definition goes beyond personal relations and holds good for relations between nations, groups, races and sects of people living in this world. It is aptly symbolized by a white dove or pigeon. A flying bird, which is not easy to catch hold of; however, we never stop running after it. Only a clean and saintly mind would be able to catch hold of peace in its true sense. Peace is defined by different people in different ways. Some say if they have lots and lots of money, they will be at peace. Some think if they are famous, they will attain peace. There is another group of people who thinks that peace lay in God. They work towards meeting and unite with God and that is the way they choose to conquer peace. There are still different types of people who have defined peace in still different ways. All of us move in a direction we think will give us peace and we move on until affected by an external force which shatters our faith and we take on a different route – again to arrive at peace! Almost like Newton’s law of motion, is not it? But, this is how it has been. Some search for peace in earthly belongings, some search for it in love and some search for it in their work (Karma)… A few attain peace, by the last breath of their lives. For some, even that is not so – peace elude them throughout!

Happiness and peace are two different states. One may be happy but not in peace; however, one in peace is happy – almost always. Happiness is with you and peace is a mutual state of thought. If you are at peace with yourself, with your soul you ought to be happy. We will talk about it later. Let me tell you a short story here that I heard yesterday which prompted me to write this. You will enjoy this.

One fine day a lady went to a spiritual Guru (a preacher) and told him, “I want peace.” She was confident and very much happy to have zeroed in to this question. For she knew that if she attains peace, she will be happy! The Guru asked her to repeat her question/ask. She reiterated aloud, “I Want Peace.” The Guru smiled at her. He said, “Get rid of the first word and say it again.” She said, “Want Peace.” The Guru told again with a smile in his face, “Get rid of the first letter again and say.” The lady shouted out, “Peace!” “There you are, my lady,” the Guru said with a smirk. “Now you have reached ‘Peace’. Is it not what you wanted to have?” “No!” She said. She told that she just did not want to have the word peace, but wanted absolute peace for herself. She wanted to be at peace with her family and friends. She wanted to be at peace with her husband and children. She wanted to be at peace with herself. The Guru held her hand and told her in the calmest voice, “My lady, if you get rid of the first two words (‘I’ and ‘Want’), as you have done just now, you will attain peace for sure; for, peace is within yourself. When you will stop thinking only about yourself and you will dispose of all materialistic wants, yearnings and desires, you will be at peace! There will be no more dissatisfaction, discontentment or covet in your life and you will be happy with whatever you have and in whatever you do. This is peace, my lady. Go, work on this now.”

I am not sure if the lady understood the notion or how many of us would understand the same; but this is all about attaining peace. This story was told to me yesterday by Rajesh Madhavan, who heard it in his childhood from one of his beloved teachers. I wish, I could meet that teacher of his!

Peace is inside us – inside oneself. We need not go out to look for it. Satisfaction and Self Esteem are two things to reflect on in the route to achieve peace. One thing that is in absolute necessity in today’s world is peace. If all the nations and sects are in perfect synchronization with each other, there will be peace worldwide. Peace can never come riding on the shoulders of terror or atrocity. May you be in peace – may God bless us all with it. May there be peace all around us – making Earth a better place to live in!

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Mission Jagruti - the Awakening
Portal to the Hindu World