Free Post Thursday – No-one wants a Diatribe (a Bloggers for Peace Post)

This month’s B4Peace post began when I was really frustrated by something and I found myself venting all my irritation in a blog post.  I scrapped it, of course – or you’d be reading that now – but a thought stuck: should we always be peaceful in the search for peace?

It’s a strange one – I am inherently a pacifist, a believer in non-violent resolutions. But I know the peace I enjoy is due in no small part to the bloodshed of the twentieth century.

Still, as someone who watches the battles and wars unfold on news programmes, year after year, we’re not doing well at the moment.  Peace is dissipating, with hate and violence filling the gap.

What I decided (as I struggled to form this post, and my nebulous thoughts, into something people could read) is that I want to foster a sense of closeness with my fellow humans.  Peace is not individual, and whenever we ‘other’ people, we are undermining our chance to find it.

I don’t want to write a diatribe, every time I get frustrated.  I want to build bridges, create a sense of community, learn from my feelings.

I try that online, and I do it in my real life too.  But I think there are many people who are scared, and angry, and venting in their own ways.

I always go back to my mantra now, Desmond Tutu’s quote.  Maybe my bit of good is my willingness to discuss difference and understand fears, whilst expressing my different viewpoint or sharing my belief in, and hope for, peace.

We are often exposed to views and opinions we don’t agree with, but in my search for peace I want to at least understand why someone feels the way they do.

Sometimes the best thing I can do is listen.

Be peaceful,

EJ

🙂