If there is a universal lament among the bloggers whose work I follow, it would seem they share with me the age-old refrain of mourning societal trends away from ‘the old graces’, if you will. We all bewail the lessening of everyday efforts toward gentleness, hospitality, patience and willingness to listen respectfully to another person’s story–especially if that story happens to differ from our own preferred version. As far as I can see, this longing for a simply more peaceful world at every level transcends the boundaries of any geography, religion, politics, biological condition I’ve ever encountered. Is it really so hard to “play nicely together”?
Clearly not, if a bunch of people as drastically different in background and taste and philosophical attitudes and personality as my ever-widening shoal of acquaintance and friendship in the online ocean can share so much good conversation, support, humor, wisdom and mutual delights. There surely can’t be any insurmountable barrier unless we build it ourselves. And that fills me with hope and optimism.
I’d say we are quite the shining school ourselves, constantly making our deliberate and sometimes very merry way, zigzagging across the supposed mainstream, even powering right straight ahead against all tides, obstacles and currents. I’m no great swimmer when it comes to pressing headlong against an undesirable norm, but the company of all my gleaming cohort–family, friends, and fellow wanderers of the web–carries me through even the chilliest and deepest of waters.
Peace is apparently attainable, if enough of us swim determinedly toward it. Whether we get there by means of a mutual journey, a shared song, a meal at the same table, or a conversation across the miles by any ethereal means doesn’t matter as much as that we’re moving in that direction. And that we carry each other along to share the strength and intelligence and compassion and hope that it takes to get there.
Art-Colored Glasses 
True words indeed Kathryn. Peace is attainable provided enough of us want it badly enough. Our differences do not matter as long as we focus on our similarities, and learn from each other.
Beautiful art, I love the soft pastels of the last vignette 🙂
Thank you, Anyes. Your own posts certainly promote a peaceful attitude!
The old social graces seem to be rare indeed. In fact, my cousin just told me “I suck” because I am from Michigan and did not cheer on a Michigan football team yesterday. And she was quite serious and nasty about it. It seems that one is not even safe in the familial environs. And that is a sad commentary on human nature.
Hi Book Chick, i was thinking that if your nasty little cousin says ‘You Suck’ to you again, maybe you could ask her to use Real Words! If she wants to insult you then maybe she could use a sentence of her own devising that explains her actual feelings. ‘You Suck’ is just SO (yawn) TUESDAY! c
I’m hardly a paragon of etiquette, as I’m sure I’ve proven incontrovertibly time and again even in this blog, but I’m just polite enough to still be shocked and appalled when anyone (*especially* someone who has any actual connection to the recipient in question) has the temerity to insult another person to her face. Ugh. Hard to get past that kind of thoughtlessness. ‘Cause Celi’s right: such rudeness has no thought behind it.
Amazing art Kathryn,accompanying wonderful sentiments…😊
Thank you, Geraldine. I post this kind of thing mostly, of course, because I think I need frequent reminders myself! 🙂
A simpler more peaceful world sounds so good to me.
I think all we can do is be our own promoters of it and hope it rubs off on others! At least that way we get the benefit ourselves. 🙂
Lovely thoughts, lovely art…a wonderful way to start the week…
Thank you.
You are very welcome, kind lady! A very happy week to you!
Hear! Here! on your words and peaceful pastels on your pictures. Thank you for your talent…
. . . and you, for yours! I’m glad you enjoy this post, my friend. 🙂
Peace per se, if you are talking global, can never be. Each of these little worlds are straining to preserve their own independence and this will never stop. If someone came in and plonked themselves down in the middle of my living room and said Get Out this is mine now, threatening my people with harm and did not listen to reason, well I may very well resort to a less peaceful means of turfing them straight back out.
But if you mean peace in our own selves. And Our own selves are the only selves we can control, then yes, peace can come, and also i completely agree with you that this international network of real living, breathing, thinking people is a wonderful clothesline to hang out little pieces of peace on. Let them be seen. And this is something you are simply wonderful at doing.. Now if you don’t mind I am going to pop up and chat to that book chick about her nasty cousin..
Love love c
That’s just it–our power for good or ill is really only over our own selves, and if we embody any good thing, it takes the power of that next-person-over to be receptive to it or reciprocal. I think the capacity is there in many; the will, in far fewer. Maybe we can tip the balance, one by one?
Unfortunately too many people are happy to make the decision to be miserable, I think. And with that comes a lack of peace toward themselves or others. It’s so much easier for people to be unhappy, I guess. Perhaps it makes life less heartbreaking.
I’ll take the peace, and the heartbreak, and remember I am ALIVE and other people need the chance to be alive too.
Beautifully said. And yes, there are *definitely* misery-mongers amongst us. I’ve known a few. I suspect it’s partly their influence that makes me the more determined to follow the path of peace and heartbreak and ALIVE-ness you describe so well, since I don’t want to turn into anything like them!! 🙂
It’s a little silly, but this post reminds me of the scene from Finding Nemo where thousands of tuna caught in the same net swim down, all of them working together until they break the net and find their freedom. Maybe that’s what we’re all looking for out here? Free expression, joy, community, and a place to share those with others. I hope this little piece of getting along can spread past the online ocean to the gravely shores beyond 🙂
I didn’t even think of the Nemo scene, Desi, but yes, that’s precisely the sort of thing I have in mind. (a) Because I think that such solidarity is the only way such things can be accomplished, (b) because I do have a very childlike view of the world, so metaphors designed primarily for children are more likely to make sense to me, and (c) because ‘Nemo’ is such a cool movie!! (Now I know I’d better acquire a DVD of it and see it again. 😀 )
You, my darling, are one of the chief exponents of Spreading the Love online, so I thank you for keeping my world-peace fantasies afloat!
When it comes to peace, I think the environmentalists said it best, “Think globally, act locally.” We can hardly expect world peace if we are at war with a neighbor, coworker, merchant, banker, etc. Make living at peace a priority and the World will soon follow.
And that, my good man, is truly the heart of the matter.
“We live so short a time to be happy and we are so long dead.” Somerset Maughm
That fellow did have a way with putting it in perspective!
I think history tells us that one of the most difficult things for people, or for that matter nations, to do is to “Play nicely together”, at least for any great length of time. Bloggers, writers, poets etc. may get along well but as a rule we don’t tend to start the fights.
History does indeed teach us that we’re always failing to learn from history! (Whether a conundrum or simply a tautology, it does hold up. 😉 )
I’d have to say that journalists, polemicists and pamphleteers of many a stripe have been among the most notorious of rabble-rousers. The power of the word, don’t you know! However, I agree that much of the time wordsmiths are merely reporting and/or commenting on the issues at the center of battles, not *starting* the scuffles and kerfuffles.
I’m so happy to have met, we get along swimmingly don’t you think?? I love our fellow bloggers, always so polite and willing to drop by with a lovely sentiment or two or three.. We can change the world, one post at a time:)
Oh, but there was one blog I had to unfollow… a little too “R” rated for my tastes.. does that count as fair play??
That counts as peace-keeping, in my book. I’ve done so once, too, as well as pre-screening what I do follow enough to have a better chance of not linking up with people I’m likely to have to un-follow eventually as it is. Not all places and persons are automatically inclined to have the same peaceable goals I have.
Just what I would have said. If I were smart and talented enough! Of course, I give myself serious points for being smart enough to connect with fantastic people like you, so that qualifies me after all, right??
Ummm, you are smart and you are talented… is this Kathryn or did someone find her password??