Dear Friends,
What with heartrending news from all corners of the world—and the arrival of this most blessed holiday season—I've got peace on my mind.
I've pretty much always got peace on my mind, in part, because "Irene" is the Greek word for peace. Apparently there is a Greek goddess named Irene.
That's not why my parents chose the name for me—I was named for my great-grandmother Hannah Irene Dennis, whom, I'm told, "never said a bad thing about anyone."
I'm pretty sure no one has ever made that claim about me, though it IS something to aspire to. And, in a way, it's a definition of peace.
A few years ago a friend referred to me as "Serene Irene."
A few months ago a different friend sent me her "word of the day" entry, which was "irenic." Yes, "irenic" is an adjective for peace, a synonym for "peaceful." Cool, huh?
Undoubtedly I am generally a peaceful person. I value quiet and solitude. I am not prone to fighting or violence of any kind. But. My mind is a very busy place! Michael Caine's duck comes to mind: calm on the surface, but paddling incessantly underneath.
I am really working on finding more peace up there.
I think the duck I want to be is calm on the surface, paddling only as much as is necessary.
Slower. Gentler.
Feeling the silky water, not driven by hunger or danger. Just enjoying a swim.
As far as what makes me feel peaceful on any given day, I'd say long walks on our country road; staring out at the lake we are so lucky to live beside; watching birds and other critters; quilting; thrifting; reading; writing—sometimes!
And chocolate. :)
What about you? What brings you peace? Email me your thoughts!
Meanwhile I offer you a poem I wrote about peace. It appears in Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, & Anecdotes from A to Z by Irene Latham and Charles Waters, illus. by Mehrdokht Amini.
