I have a sign up in my study that says ‘happiness is a journey, not a destination’. I bought it to cheer me up when the writing isn’t going well, and it was cheap and cheerful – but in this case it really is the thought that counts.
I was reminded of this when I looked at the peace challenge this month.
The challenge is to produce an advert for peace; it could be a commercial, a song, a poem, a poster. Whatever I fancy, really. As I am already working on the poem for peace (which I’ll post in draft format soon, as this week is poetry week!) I thought about slogans, like the one in my study. I imagined the people who might stop, and think, and reflect on my words; the people who would – at least for a time – hold peace in their hearts.
But the one that keeps coming to mind is not mine at all. It’s the name of a book by Thich Nhat Hanh: ‘Peace is Every Step’.
Trying to rid myself of the constant references to someone else’s slogan, I started musing about the concept of advertising. How do we advertise peace? I didn’t like the thought of treating it like a marketable product, but I had a bit of fun thinking about where that could take us. Would we offer a free iPod with every calm thought? How about slogans like those you see for certain medicines – ‘Find peace, and say goodbye to your stomach ulcer’. Or my personal favourite, the no-frills peace package – ‘Peace: live better at no cost to yourself’.
Maybe not 😉
Peace, to me at least, is something we should look for in every day of our lives. It’s not a quick fix, it’s an aspiration, a hope for the future.
I have incorporated this idea into my peace slogan. I’m sure I’ll think of something more witty and catchy and generally better in every way at some later point, but for now I’ll leave you with this:
‘Hope for peace, dream of hope, and work to make your dreams come true.’
Happy writing
EJ
🙂
Other peace posts you may enjoy:
Becoming a writer 
Advertising for peace is not such a bad thing. Remember the soda commercial with all the people across the country singing “I’d like to teach the world to sing…..” I always loved that one.
That particular company have had some great adverts – the Christmas advert has a particular place in UK culture now!
Advertising for peace isn’t bad at all, it’s what is promised in return that I was poking fun at 🙂
I like the honesty of your post. In my opinion truth and peace are related. Acknowledging what is makes way for peace to come. Thank you the link .
That’s a really great way of putting it – I am sure most of us think ‘if only…’, but it doesn’t make us happier in the long term.
Thank you for linking to my post on peace. I’ve had a go a poem too – The Peaceful Way. I look forward to reading your poem
Thanks for stopping by! I am aiming to post the poem in the next day or so, in draft format. I always love seeing what other people write, so it’s great that you shared your poem 🙂
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I, too, love the honesty in this post, EJ. I also love the slogan, although I would drop out the middle phrase and just say, “Dream of peace and work to make your dreams come true.”
Thank you for posting for peace. {{{Hugs]}} Kozo
That’s interesting, Kozo – I’d drop dream in favour of hope and amend the end if I were to shorten it, but editing this, tiny though it is, was too much for me after the novel! 😉