Dear Editor,
Peace starts with me.
All humanity longs for a world of peace, yet in every country of the world today, world peace remains a distant hope. Well-meaning people and organizations such as the United Nations have contributed significantly, yet conflict continues. At the same time, we experience the erosion of morals and family values that bring confusion, conflict and despair into our lives.
For many hundreds of years there have been no solutions that offer lasting success. Today our young people walk out of school in protest, sincere groups and individuals demonstrate and protest seeking resolution, and politicians promise with loud proclamations. But real solutions to climate change, famine, disease and tyranny are nowhere to be seen.
We continue to seek peace through war. How ironic. But, if war were a solution, we would have a world much different than it is now. We cannot “force” peace.
A true solution must include God and also deal with the source of the problem not only the symptoms. Where God always gives unconditionally, we often look for what we can “get”. Perhaps we need to call on our conscience and contemplate how we can be more “God-like” in our daily lives?
Perhaps, we need to change our perspective to become people who volunteer, take care of family, friends and community, and make a contribution to our neighbours, community and society. Perhaps we can help to bring a solution by thinking first of others, not myself?
Volunteers know that when we give and serve others unconditionally, we feel happy and fulfilled in our lives. The more we give, the more joy we experience.
Could thinking first of others contribute to world peace? If every Canadian volunteered for one hour a week, I suggest we would have a nation which would be the envy of the world.
But it begins with me, with each one of us.
Drug use, sex trafficking, moral confusion are the result of family breakdown, but what can strengthen our families and end the erosion of our families, the fundamental foundation of a strong and good society? Thinking of others first? Volunteering? Making moral and self-less choices in our lives?
The question is, “are we willing to rise to the challenge by living the way of goodness, giving and volunteerism, or will we choose a path putting ourselves first?”
John Abelseth, Fernridge