Amidst the whirling of the world these days I have been hearing more and more from my friend Peace. He seems to be showing up everywhere. He carries a lovely picture book under his arm and loves nothing more than to sit on the grass and share his favorite pages with anyone who wishes to join him. The picture book is unlike anything I’ve ever seen or experienced. I call it a book, but it really is so much more. A portal, an illumination, an emanation, an elixir, a holy tome, a child’s tale, a message from the future….when I take the time to sit with Peace and behold these pages alongside him, I am changed.
Here are some words inspired by my friend Peace.
Do I dare?
do I dare feel Peace?
dare I be Peace?
how can I stand in my own shoes…or in another’s without Peace?
how could I have gone so long forgetting Peace?
thinking I had to fight for him
go create him
search the world to find him
Peace is no where
he resides inside
playful and at rest
so patient, sitting on a tree limb after all the kids have gone home
hiding in plain sight
unworried
unhurried by any and all who pass by
arms ever open
hugging the air around him
self-made in the best possible sense
he smells like melted butter on toast
he feels easy, like worn in jeans and a soft linen shirt
there is no chatter with Peace
once found, his silent language glides effortless in all directions
suddenly I see him everywhere
Peace found out and on the move
he has come off his tree limb and is walking the world
unhurried and happy to see you.
-Jani Gillette Sept. 2020