Peace -A Realistic Deal

By Aasha Eapen
Peace is a very subjective term, it does not necessarily imply serenity. What
defines peace for one individual may be in stark contrast to the meaning
another person derives from it. While one person is at peace with the
humdrum of life, another can only be at peace when all is calm and still.
One way of defining it could be using its opposite, war. Just like light is the
absence of darkness, peace is the absence of war.
War, not only as a raw, full-scale military conflict involving bloodshed and
innumerable casualties, but war also as a marsh of conflicting thoughts, a
swamp of heated arguments or the quicksand of ambivalent situations.
These wars fought in the mind, sometimes taking visible shape, are more
detrimental because they are a reality faced by people everywhere.
Perhaps, it is this seemingly omnipresent conflict that keeps people yearning
and thirsting in their continual search for peace.
Mother Theresa said, If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten
that we belong one another
This echoes true today more than ever because the notion of a shared
humanity is one that is becoming increasingly rare to find.
When we regard others, not in terms of the religion or ideology, their
lifestyle, nationality, gender or race, but for the humans that they are, then,
we sow a seed of peace.
Peace is extinguished when there is greed, greed creates lack of resources
that would otherwise be available, and it also plays a key role in fanning
conflict.
Showing care and concern for those around helps to extinguish this greed, in
turn bringing about peace.
It is said that atrocities continue to exist not because of the deeds of the bad
people, but because of the silence of the good people.
In the busy city of London, on 4th June 2015, more than a 100 people came to
the aid of a unicyclist trapped under a bus.
Similar incidents of so many strangers uniting to help someone in distress in
places like Moscow, Perth and many others that escape the attention of the
media. These incidents make it possible to think that peace, despite so many
differences, can exist.

These examples, sometimes individual, sometimes collective negate the

usual deafening and uncaring silence.
The challenge is to take this concern and apply it in every context we face.
The action taken in any given circumstance, is directly in proportion to the
willingness to effect a situation.
Human cultures, largely adapt themselves to the times that they are in, so
does the art they create.
In recent times, due to massive destruction, there has been an
endangerment of artefacts having great cultural and historical significance,
for which deep concern is voiced.
This is no doubt commendable, but an even worthier cause is the provision
of shelter, defense and education to those affected, for it was humans who
were responsible for the creation of these valued artefacts.
It is the purpose which organizations like the UNO serve, and one which all
individuals should endeavor to follow.
Diversity is a fact of life and humans are no exception to this, peace,
therefore must endeavor to accommodate with these diversities in the best
way possible.
In my mother tongue, Malayalam, there is term called prashnam parihari
meaning problem solver. This individual, revered for being wise beyond their
years is turned to for guidance and pearls of wisdom.
But in my experience, the real prashnam parihari is not the person who
spouts advice but the one who lets their conduct do the talking.
Their conduct, unparalleled and unmistaken sets the benchmark and is the
example followed.
1 Peter says ,Let him turn away from evil and do good;
Let him seek peace, and pursue it.
If we endeavour to genuinely show our concern for causes that matter, then
peace in our hearts, and peace in our minds will automatically correlate to
rebound, its repercussions, being felt throughout the world.