Finding Peace

I am just about to leave for the airport
on an incredible long journey, but wanted to
leave you with a story that has been playing
in my mind and heart over these last few
turbulent days.

Finding peace of mind and a few moments of
stillness and calm is not easy with the
events of the last week.

So, sit down, make yourself a cup of tea
and breathe deeply.

My story this week – The Picture of Peace.

There was once a king who offered a prize to the
artist who could paint the best picture of peace.

Many artists tried. The king looked at all of the
pictures. After much deliberation he was down to
the last two. He had to choose between them.
 
One picture was of a calm lake. The lake was a
perfect mirror for the peaceful mountains that
towered around it. Overhead, fluffy white clouds
floated in a blue sky. Everyone who saw this
picture said that it was the perfect picture of
peace.

The second picture had mountains too. These
mountains were rugged and bare. Above was an angry
gray sky from which rain fell. Lightening flashed.

Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming
waterfall. This did not appear to be a peaceful
place at all.

But, when the king looked closely, he saw that
behind the waterfall was a tiny bush growing
in the rock. Inside the bush, a mother
bird had built her nest.

There, in the midst of the rush of angry water,
sat the mother bird on her nest.

She was the perfect picture of peace.

The king chose the second picture. “Because,” he
explained, “peace is not only in a place where
there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. 

Peace is in the midst of things as they are,
when there is calm in your heart.

That is the real meaning of
peace.”

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