Making Peace

                            Anne, Judy, Rose and David with newly constructed peace signs. 

This week we were making peace. 

Several years ago David and I had the idea of making a peace sign, following the inspiration of friends who had a lit up Peace on Earth sign on their front yard.

The project began and a 2 X 8 foot peace sign was created. LED lights created the script. In cursive. It hung for several years on the front of the manse in Long Reach where we once lived until I retired from Two Rivers in 2017. 

The peace sign moved with us as we migrated up the road from the manse to Kingston.

Today it hangs on the front of our garage for all travellers to see throughout the seasons. You don’t need a civic number to find us. We are known as the home with the peace sign. Isn’t that lovely!

A few neighbours commented on what a difference it makes to see peace glowing in the dark. 

So they wanted to share peace and build their own signs. Which they did. (see photo above). On Monday three enthusiastic neighbours arrived with plywood, paint, screws and LED rope lights. It is worth noting, that it is no small challenge to transfer peace from a computer screen to an eight foot piece of plywood. Under David’s instructions, these enthusiastic women marked and measured, drilled and painted. Laughter filled the basement as together we worked. We shared family stories, pondered how being called ‘girls,’ ‘guys’ and ‘ladies’ diminishes all of us, lamented the woes of the world and celebrated the joy of crating peace together.

Upon leaving I asked, “What does peace mean to you?” 

“You can’t have peace without serenity. You can’t have serenity without peace,” said one. “Peace begins within,” said another. “We can’t have peace ‘out there’ until we have peace within.”

This is my hope. That whoever sees the signs will find that moment of inner peace.  

I hope they offer a moment of joy to passerbys amid the rush of thoughts that may fill a travellers mind… "Will I get to work on time? Did I bring the list? Did I say “I love you” before closing the door at home?"

That school children passing by on the big yellow buses, long before dawn in the depth of winter, may see the lit up peace and have a better day in school. 

Perhaps a traveller is revisiting a moment of trauma; trying to let go. It’s interesting how we repeat the garbage stuff of life, even in a life of abundance.

Everywhere we turn we hear how broken the world is. Which is not true. Yes there are troubled moments and places. And yes they make the news -  which they should. We should not turn a blind eye to the evils of the world. Still the world is also filled with wonderful people and amazing places. 

It is my hope that whoever passes by and sees peace glowing in the early morning and late night, that Love will break through and offer a tiny moment of relief, a tiny moment to joy, a tiny moment of peace. 

So the next time you take a drive on the Peninsula, keep watch for peace. May they bring a wee bit of joy to your day. 

To those travelling different roads, in different corners of Creation, be on the look out for peace. It is there.