Being the Peace in Community

But what if the path to being the peace isn’t simply solitary? What if the path runs through the human community. Perhaps being the peace encompasses much more than simply ourselves.

First, we show up. Secondly, we interact. Maybe we receive feedback.

Are we vulnerable? Yes. Might our mistakes hurt others? Yes. Are we ever let down by someone else? Yes. Are we less peaceful as a result? No.

Eventually, we learn communication, accountability, trust, and cooperation. Dependence, connection, kindness, and leadership commingle in a recipe for lasting peaceful existence.

For many, times of solitude may also be an integral part of the recipe.

But what if the path to being the peace is both-and:

solitary, sedentary, in retreat—
communicative, conflicting, cooperative.

While we’re all here together, why not be together and use the fruits from that community to improve ourselves and each other. The strengthening of the communal spirit that results from a broader peace may very well be eternal.

Author: The Bardo Group Beguines

The focus of "The BeZine," a publication of The Bardo Group Beguines, is on sacred space (common ground) as it is expressed through the arts. Our work covers a range of topics: spirituality, life, death, personal experience, culture, current events, history, art, and photography and film. We share work here that is representative of universal human values however differently they might be expressed in our varied religions and cultures. We feel that our art and our Internet-facilitated social connection offer a means to see one another in our simple humanity, as brothers and sisters, and not as “other.” This is a space where we hope you’ll delight in learning how much you have in common with “other” peoples. We hope that your visits here will help you to love (respect) not fear. For more see our Info/Mission Statement Page. View All Posts

One thought on “Being the Peace in Community”

And as deb y felio suggests in the first essay of this issue, the communal is a collection of acts by individuals—community is composed of individuals, sometimes, as you point out, taking time to be solitary.

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