A peace of my mind

I was reading some Proverbs earlier this week when one line in particular set me to thinking. It said, "Let your heart keep my commandments; for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you." Peace. Isn't that what we all really want? To have peace in our world. To live in peace in our homes, and workplaces. To have peace within us. Who would say they don't want world peace? The makers of armaments, perhaps. It's easier for me to go about my daily routine when I'm getting along with my son, my husband, my co-workers. But conflict is everywhere. Or, reasons for possible conflict, at least. And the conflicts around me can really affect my peace of mind. I've had people say I need yogic breathing, or guided imagery, or just a daily exercise routine. I wish it hadn't taken me this far in life to figure out that peace isn't something that just happens. You can't just sit around waiting to experience peace. Because our natural inclination as human beings is to be self-serving. Put a whole bunch of self-serving people together, and conflict is bound to happen. So I have to actively seek out peace. I must find ways to identify what I have in common with others, what I like about my son (and there is so much to like), instead of harping on the things he does "wrong," and I need to reaffirm the goodness in everyone I know, because it's there in all of us, if we look hard enough. The writer of Proverbs promised peace if our heart keeps God's commandments. And one of the greatest commandments outlined for us is to love our neighbor as ourselves. So I will try to look to the common good, and even sometimes what's good for others before myself. A more optimistic outlook won't change the world overnight, or at all. But it will change me, and the lives of those around me.