The International Day of Peace is on the horizon and this year’s theme is “Shaping Peace Together.” The United Nations focuses on large-scale ideas spanning the globe and devotes a full day to the idea of non-violence. For some people, this is an idea so vast and overwhelming that they allow it to pass by without any acknowledgement. But maybe we don’t need to think about a contribution to shaping peace as something overly significant.
Peace has never been and never will be constant. Like all things in life, there are moments of calm and there are moments of chaos. Our current reality, living in a time of pandemic, compounds inequality, it compounds economic insecurity, human rights, and access. It compounds hostilities and it has become a catalyst of human discord.
It’s easy to get swept up in “us” versus “them” and “this” versus “that”. I’m right, you’re wrong, should have, would have, want to, would never, and so on. Underscoring the myriad bids for our attention is a dangerous device: shock. Because shock begets attention, “Likes”, hang time and of course, ultimately, ad revenue.
While the idea of Shaping Peace Together is a bold undertaking, we believe that a billion bite-sized actions on a micro-level can have a drastically positive effect.
Let’s consider the impact of doing less, or even being less. This International Day of Peace, is it possible to free up an hour of the day to learn about a part of the world that isn’t currently trending on social media for being a flashpoint of contention? Is it possible to shift your focus from what’s currently wrong in the world to what is right and what is good? Is it possible to be less reactive, less judgemental, less impulsive, or less angry?
Let’s not make the day feel like another “to do” that gets quickly reprioritized to the backburner. Instead, let’s approach it as a chance to “unbecome” a few of the things that anchor us down in this one beautiful life. We invite you, on the 21st of September to Shape Peace Together in a way that makes you feel more empathetic, more accepting, and more tolerant.
The best way you can show up in this world is to show up for this world – and leave the day a little better than you found it.
From us at CanadaLoves.ca to you – we wish you peace. As always, let us know how you made out. We want to hear your stories.
