The True Meaning of Peace

"If you have one moment of patience, you
will have a thousand moments of peace."
- Tamil Proverb

Portrait of Peace

There was once a king who offered a prize to the artist who could paint the best picture of peace. Many artists tried. The king looked at all of the pictures. After much deliberation he was down to the last two. He had to choose between them.

One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a perfect mirror for the peaceful mountains that towered around it. Overhead, fluffy white clouds floated in a blue sky. Everyone who saw this picture said that it was the perfect picture of peace.

The second picture had mountains too. These mountains were rugged and bare. Above was an angry gray sky from which rain fell. Lightening flashed. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall. This did not appear to be a peaceful place at all. But, when the king looked closely, he saw that behind the waterfall was a tiny bush growing in the rock. Inside the bush, a mother bird had built her nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water, sat the mother bird on her nest. She was the perfect picture of peace.

The king chose the second picture. "Because," he explained, "peace is not only in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace is in the midst of things as they are, when there is calm in your heart. That is the real meaning of peace."

Offered by Linda Spitzer ©2001
Healing Stories

Welcome Traveler!

"We are all one child spinning in Mother Sky."

-Shawnee Proverb

HI. My name is Attar. I've always dreamed of visiting a place like this beautiful Hunza Valley. But this valley is high in the mountains of Northern Pakistan. Although the Karakoram Highway has now been built, there can still be occasional landslides, earthquakes and maybe even unfriendly armed locals.

But if I let fear guide me, how will I ever realize my dream? Should I think about going at my age? (over 60)

If I do go, I'd better start aerobic training because the air is thin at such high altitudes. (above 13,000 feet)

Well, first I guess I need to re-evaluate my reasons for going because the real journey to Peace can never be to an ever illusive Somewhere Else. Yet, somehow this place keeps calling to me.

What do you think? Do you have a place that calls to you, too?

Comments are welcome.