Peace in the Stream of Consciousness

Peace.

The Peace that passes all understanding.

Peace that comes with a smile

Or a nod of understanding, or acceptance.

Peace like a river that flows freely

Nourishing life with sparkling waves

Peace of silence in an evening snowfall

When there is no wind – only the sound of snowflakes

Peace Will Come

An old song I loved in my youth.

 

Peace, Please.

PS: I’m planning to march in the MLK day parade Monday with a group I just joined: it’s called Grandmother’s for Peace.

…

Peace was the first thing that popped in to my head when I read Linda’s SoCS prompt to use a word that begins with the letter P. I get bonus points for beginning and ending with a words that starts with the letter P.

Come play in the Saturday Stream of Consciousness persistently provided by Linda Hill at:

https://lindaghill.com/2017/01/13/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-and-jusjojan-jan-1417/

 

Peace Will Come

I know it seems like a long shot sometimes, especially if you watch the news, but there’s a chance peace will come.

Taking a chance with something I’ve seen before, I don’t know where, here’s what’s coming to me:

If we want peace on earth,

That comes from peace among nations,

That comes from peace among neighbors,

That comes from peace within families,

We need to find peace within our own minds

Within our own hearts

One moment at a time,

Creating Peace

Here

&

Now.

Who remembers Melanie?

 https://youtu.be/TCV89EsAac8

This week’s Stream of Consciousness Saturday Post was “piece/peace.” If you’d like to join in the fun, visit:

The Friday Reminder and Prompt for SoCS April 18/15

Here are the rules:

1. Your post must be stream of consciousness writing, meaning no editing, (typos can be fixed) and minimal planning on what you’re going to write.

2. Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be. One sentence – one thousand words. Fact, fiction, poetry – it doesn’t matter. Just let the words carry you along until you’re ready to stop.

3. There will be a prompt every week. I will post the prompt here on my blog on Friday, along with a reminder for you to join in. The prompt will be one random thing, but it will not be a subject. For instance, I will not say “Write about dogs”; the prompt will be more like, “Make your first sentence a question,” or “Begin with the word ‘The’.”

4. Ping back! It’s important, so that I and other people can come and read your post! For example, in your post you can write “This post is part of SoCS:” and then copy and paste the URL found in your address bar at the top of this post into yours.  Your link will show up in my comments, for everyone to see. The most recent pingbacks will be found at the top.

5. Read at least one other person’s blog who has linked back their post. Even better, read everyone’s! If you’re the first person to link back, you can check back later, or go to the previous week, by following my category, “Stream of Consciousness Saturday,” which you’ll find right below the “Like” button on my post.

6. Copy and paste the rules (if you’d like to) in your post. The more people who join in, the more new bloggers you’ll meet and the bigger your community will get!

7. Have fun!

Confesssions of an Imperfect Vegetarian

Ever since 1970, when I heard Melanie Safka sing, “I don’t eat animals, cause I love em you see. I don’t eat animals, and they don’t eat me,” I’ve wanted to be a vegetarian.

I got good at it  when I was in college, after reading an article by a hunter challenging people who are against hunting to stop eating meat. I did better after reading quotes by Isaac Bashevis Singer comparing factory farms to Nazi concentration camps, a realistic comparison considering the severity of misery inflicted. Watching videos of baby chicks being de-beaked or ground up alive, always works for a while. I’ve actually gotten better over the years at not eating chicken.

For almost 30 years, I’ve had no problem abstaining from mammal flesh, feeling a kinship with animals who feed their babies with milk from their bodies, like I did. But I’ve struggled with fish and chicken. Most of the time, I’ve been imperfect in my quest.

Except for Lent. During Lent,  the 40 days that start with Ash Wednesday and finish up with Easter, I am stronger.  For 40 days, I  know I can do what my spirit tells me is right for me. I can be an honest vegetarian-no chicken and no fish. During Lent, I have the strength to stretch myself, with God’s help, to have more days of being vegan-no animal products at all.  With so many alternatives available these days, it’s not too much of a sacrifice considering what Jesus did for us. So, I approach Lent with a sense of confidence that grows stronger each year.

Lent doesn’t have to be about giving something up. It can be about adding something good to your life. Like singing more.

At the Church of the Good Shepherd, we are working on a song for lent called: “You who dwell in the shelter of the Lord.” It’s about God saying, “I will raise you up on eagle’s wings,bear you on the breath of dawn, make you shine like the sun, and hold you in the palm of my hand.”  It gives my soul goose bumps.  This is what I joined  choir for: that feeling of accomplishment when you start to “get” a song you love- when it starts to come together with the voices of friends.  It’s a natural high, a power that comes from divine love.

So this year, I will add daily singing to my Lenten practice. It’s good for the soul. I’ll sing for God and for Jesus and for the animals. Cause I love ’em you see.