Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.  Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
– St. Francis of Assisi

My friend’s 11 year old daughter, who I adore, got bullied at school this past week and was injured in a fight that ensued. I don’t know all the details, but I know that it’s hard to watch the real world encroach on this young girl’s childhood. I know, of course, that there are lessons to be learned all around. And I hold this in light. But more than anything else, the main thought that rushes through my head is:

“Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me.”

How can we have a peaceful world when we have such violence and anger in our hearts?

How can the world transform when we can’t get along with our neighbors?

What if the violence in our world is a reflection of the violence in our hearts?

What if in attending to our own gardens we really can affect change?

What if the most effective way to create peace is to start with ourselves, our own hearts and our own minds?

I don’t propose to have any of the answers. I’m just a person trying to figure it out too. It’s ironic in a way, wars rage all around, but it is an incident with a child I personally love with that inspires me to attend to my own garden in a way nothing else has.

Can I be a more loving person?
Can I find more compassion for my fellow man?
Can I love and forgive myself more?
Can I love and forgive others?
Can I create more peace within myself?
Can I create a ripple affect that positively influences the world?

Yes, of course, there is outward action to be taken: phone calls to be made, principles to be talked with, parent meetings, etc..etc.. And these are all very important.

But energetically, the place that we have the most control is in our own hearts and minds.

What is the ripple effect that our own anger and animosity, and lack of forgiveness creates out in the world? What if everything out there really is an outward manifestation of our own hearts and souls?

And so with this in mind, and in an effort to heal my own soul, I affirm:

I am filled with peace.
I am filled with peace.

I love and care for myself and
I love and care for others.

I practice compassion.
I practice compassion.

I am filled with peace.
I am filled with peace.

What is my vibrational contribution?

Do I contribute love?
Do I contribute compassion?
Do I contribute balance?
Do I contribute peace?
Do I contribute forgiveness?

What are the far reaching ramifications of this?

Can I stay compassionate in the face of anger?
Can I stay compassionate in the face of ignorance?

Can I stay balanced in the face of violence?
Can I contribute peace in the face of war?
Can I clean up my own act so that I can an agent for change?

If we wish to see a change in this world we must in the words of Gandhi: “be the change we wish to see.”

And so, let peace begin with me.

Let me offer forgiveness in the face of offense.
Let me offer compassion in the face of anger.
Let me offer patience in the face of ignorance.

May my energetic contribution be one of compassion, love, sincerity, and forgiveness.

I know that I will be tested.
I know that I will falter.
I know that this will be a learning process for me and that I will fall.

But let me make the commitment for the sake of all the children in the world who suffer, for the sake of all the young soldiers at war, for the sake of women who are exposed to violence every day, and for the sake of men who live in fear of other men or other women.

Let me make the commitment to be the change I wish to see.

May I offer love to those who can’t offer love to me.
May I offer compassion to those who are unkind.
May I offer a sincere heart to those who are lost.

May I be the change I wish to see.

This is my commitment.
This is my prayer.
This is my journey.
This is my path.

May peace exist on earth, and may it begin with me.

~Hayley Mermelstein

P.S. For those that are interested we will be having our Free monthly group healing teleclass this evening at 7 p.m. Its a good opportunity to heal our own souls and create a ripple of peace to help heal our planet. Join us if you can.

Just call in at: 413-259-8048.