How do we achieve world peace?

Everyone prays for world peace. But peace isn’t an attainment. Peace is within us and we just have to live it. We don’t have to wait for peace to happen or to come around; it starts with each individual. Every individual can decide to live a peaceful life. We can decide and start to be peaceful with our neighbors, our sisters, our family, our co-workers, our friends. Peace starts with each individual deciding to live a peaceful life. Imagine the ripple effect. You can’t get into a fight with peace; you can’t be at war with peace. Peace doesn’t react; peace stands still and doesn’t get fazed. Peace doesn’t get ruffled feathers or bent out of shape. But peace isn’t passive, or passive aggressive. Peace is active, it is action; it is a conscious decision or choice. And it is the most active thing we can do. It is an activity that blesses the whole world including our brother who we are being peaceful towards. It protects us and keeps us safe. It keeps us from regret, dismay, guilt or fear. And it keeps us from shame.

When we lead a peaceful life, we live a righteous life and we can feel confident, good and strong about that. We gain a good reputation; people know you and respect you. And that reputation will assist you. People know what you’re about and can’t accept any lie about you.

Nelson Mandela, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Jesus Christ are people who preached, lived, and led others to live peaceful lives. They showed us the peaceful way. So as we pray and yearn for the world to be at peace; to stop the violence, the war, the killing, the defiance, the resistance; let’s start with our own lives and make peace right where we are. Let’s not accept that we have to live with a lack of peace or unrest forever. Let us not accept that that is just the way the world is. Instead let us accept that right now, today, peace starts with us. Make a choice and an action that firmly establishes peace.