A time for peace in our lives

Uh oh; it’s that time of the year again. Yes, Christmas Day is only seven weeks away. Sorry about that; didn’t mean to get anyone discombobulated (note the bob).

What’s next? Why, Thanksgiving Day, of course. It’s our time of the year to rush about with many concerns. What will we eat for the big dinner? Who will sit on the piano bench, and who gets the desk chair? Whom should we invite?

OK, in-between Turkey Day to give thanks and the Christian celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ we find other concerns. Can we spend how much? No way. Some will have to do without a Christmas gift; we’ll just send them a card. And gifts? Ha; we can’t afford it. But some will partially melt their credit cards to purchase gifts because. Because why? Well, we don’t want anyone to be disappointed.

OK, time to slow the pace. Take a deep breath and relax. Think about what is most truthfully important in our lives. Is it international news? A train wreck in India, a plane crash in Russia, rioting in France, disasters in Kenya? Oh, dear. These are upsetting disasters. But what do they mean to us? Not a whole lot unless we have relatives in those locations. Praying for their relief can work.

But why do we stress about such situations? And why do we read or hear about major political upheavals in our country or cataclysmic disasters that in so many, many cases have nothing to do with our personal lives. Yes, such happenings are terrible. But why do we fuss and cuss about them if they do not directly affect us?

Especially during this “holiday” season, perhaps we should conduct some self-examination. Calm ourselves through prayer for those involved in awful times and realize through contemplation that our major interests should be for our own community, family and friends. Getting ourselves tangled in “news” spewed by the major media is unhealthy, especially because much of what is provided is not newsworthy but based on gossip and what celebrities think. We should not let shotgun opinions influence our lives, our actions.

Keep praying for inner peace; be aware of the two Great Commandments. Practice common sense. Think calmly.

There is a Zen story about a man riding a horse galloping at top speed. Another man, standing by the road, yells at him, “Where are you going?” The man on the horse yells back, ‘I don’t know. Ask the horse.’” As noted by well-known Tibetan monk Thich Nhat Hanh, “I think that is our situation. We are riding many horses that we cannot control.”

And according to Christian theology, being at peace per Jesus refers to the peace that comes from having a relationship with Him, which is different from the temporary peace the world offers. This peace is received through faith and trust in Him, characterized by a sense of inner calm, wholeness with God and the ability to find peace even amid worldly tribulations. It is a peace that is a gift from God, made possible through Jesus, the “Prince of Peace.”

Have truly happy holidays.