finding peace

Elisa Kleven :: Angels Watching Over Me

Elisa Kleven :: Angels Watching Over Me

Elisa Kleven :: Angels Watching Over Me

I'm glad I posted last night about finding hope and deeply appreciate the warm, supportive responses I've received via email, facebook and here on my blog. After I wrote the post, I continued thinking about finding hope during frightening times, and reached for the most hopeful, peaceful images I could find.  Elisa Kleven's artwork never fails to remind me of the wonder and gentleness of our world, if only we know how and where to look.  I love every book she's illustrated, but the book I reached for this morning is Angels Watching Over Me with words by Julia Durango. (For more information about Elisa's work you can visit her website HERE.)

Further thoughts on finding hope and peace revolved around the idea that we cannot control or change the actions of another person, but we can control how we respond, more aptly expressed by Nelson Mandela: People respond in accordance to how you relate to them. If you approach them on the basis of violence, that's how they'll react.  But if you say, 'We want peace, we want stability,' we can then do a lot of things that will contribute towards the progress of our society. (Words to keep in mind whether one is dealing with a toddler, a teenager or a politician?) Reflections on taking responsibility for our responses brought me back to this quote, attributed to John Wesley (and spoken by Hilary Clinton at the DNC): Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.

People respond in accordance to how you relate to them. If you approach them on the basis of violence, that's how they'll react. But if you say, 'We want peace, we want stability,' we can then do a lot of things that will contribute towards the progress of our society.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/n/nelsonmand621326.html?src=t_react

People respond in accordance to how you relate to them. If you approach them on the basis of violence, that's how they'll react. But if you say, 'We want peace, we want stability,' we can then do a lot of things that will contribute towards the progress of our society.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/react.html

People respond in accordance to how you relate to them. If you approach them on the basis of violence, that's how they'll react. But if you say, 'We want peace, we want stability,' we can then do a lot of things that will contribute towards the progress of our society.
Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/react.html

Thank you for joining me on this journey.