[souldancer]

So beautiful you all!
Allison, I know what you mean, some days, I struggle too - the headlines, the words exchanged in classrooms and on the streets are overwhelming, but just posting this thread and reading all this good, makes me feel lighter and renews my battery. I so agree with DS, Jen, Teri and others that peace begins inside each of us - a seed of our inner truth of goodness that can be consciously radiated out to others, connecting wider circles of understanding through love and compassion. Without the stillness to find personal inner peace, I fear, as you mentioned Read, any hope for global peace. It is an inside-out job, not something that can be mandated or dictated. It can only come from a grassroots movement, like democracy has done in communist countries. But, being the perrenial optimist, I have not yet lost hope, for reasons that are kin to what Jane Goodall's book Reason for Hope cites..1) our intelligence and problem-solving abilities can be used for the good and we have a ccooperative nature, 2) there is a tremdous energy and committment from young people today that we can tap in to, 3) the indomitable nature of the human spirit makes all things possible. There are so many people who have dreamed seemingly unattainable dreams and, because they never gave up, achieved their goals against all the odds, or blazed a path along which others could follow.

Thanks Jen, for that great reminder of Pay it Forward. Tomorrow, let's see how we can pass a peaceful message and gesture forward; with those we know, as well as with strangers.