Day 088f: Another presenting of Peace … (July 11, 2019)
Emma had not been able to organize any “official” room or locale in which the requested Peace Presentation could take place, nor had she been able to make any fliers or even significantly spread the word about the event, and yet none of that mattered to me in the slightest. I simply set up shop in a relatively tucked-away corner of the town’s still bustling central courtyard, and used a small chalkboard from the hostel’s restaurant to share my message with the handful of curious folks who attended.* It had essentially been at least a five-year lay-off since I had shared re-Discovering Peace with others, and (as previously explained) pilgrims tend to not be the most receptive audience for the same, and yet it seemed as though at least a few of the few on hand did resonate powerfully with the selfless message, and I finished the relatively efficient event** feeling grateful for the opportunity to give, and deeply satisfied with how much of that giving was seemingly received. I won’t ever know how fully the sown seeds of Caring & Kindness & Service will sprout, and yet I have faith that at least a few them will indeed one day do so – and that alone is enough for gratitude …
“Though it is one’s unquenchable thirst for wonder that sets them on their initial quest for truth, it is the inevitable exposure to the humility of Oneness on the same that allows for all awakening. Without question, the more doors you open questioningly, the smaller you become – and the more places you see and the more people you meet – and the greater your curiosity grows – and therewith the greater your empathy becomes. In truth, the more you choose to leap, the more you will experience in life – and the more others you will encounter who are on their own exploratory journeys – and the more you will ask them about the same – and the more you will listen to their answers – and the more your appreciation for the vastness of the human experience will expand – and the wider your perspective of others will become – and the more your biases & prejudices and misconceptions & ignorances will recede – and the smaller you will feel – and the more interconnected (and therefore the greater) you will become. In truth, the more you choose to leap, the more you will inevitably see – and the more you will come to be amazed – and the more you will come to love. And the more you come to love, the more doors you will be willing to open and the more appreciative you will become of life and those living it alongside you. For the more open-minded you are, the more openhearted you must become.” ~ inspired by Suzy Kassem
*Emma from the hostel, Sandra & Paul (two of Emma’s hostel employees), Emma’s mother, fellow pilgrim James, bicycle pilgrim Dana from Washington, & fellow pilgrim Kelsey from Canada
**Normally presentations of this sort lasted a few hours, and yet I intentionally kept this one short – about an hour total (including the question & answer time at the end).
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