Building peace, and starting with love

A view from Fletcher Hill Road in Woodstock, Vermont. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

As springtime flourishes around us, we witness natural peace and harmonious progress all around us, the former season a distant memory. Familiar images come to mind, like that beautiful, slow-motion video of the flower blooming, and turning toward the sunlight, finding its natural place closest to the sun’s nurturing rays. A moment of seeking light, and finding it. 

These days, that moment can seem a distant thing. Pictures of peace, like the above, seem fleeting at best. The world longs for peace, one that lasts, one that goes beyond a feeling. Though it may be difficult to see at times, people have a natural leaning toward peace, just like the flower that seeks the sun. It’s not about what we feel from moment to moment; this peace is part of our being, joined to our innate ability to love one another. 

Knowing this, we have to seek peace where it all begins: within us. If we build peace within ourselves, the harmony that seems impossible to attain can shine through us, even if just a little bit at first. It starts with an individual’s chosen lens through which to view the world. Will it be through the love which comes to us so naturally? To build peace through loving others as ourselves, is really our most natural desire as people. Where rightly motivated desire lives, there is opportunity, and a possibility to join together for the greater good. In that space, we make a difference.

Amid the struggles of the past two years, we’ve seen this happen. Neighbors have helped one another and created unforgettable, inspiring moments leading to progress, and leading others to help their communities. It’s clear that this pattern of unselfishness awoke in us a collective propensity to lift each other up. There’s a history of this in the world, even in the darkest times, because that connection of compassion is natural and familiar to everyone.

However, this existence never allows us to sit still; it demands greater proof of what we can accomplish. Now, we, as a global community, are being asked to meet such a challenge. From the recent shootings in the U.S., to the war in Ukraine, the demand of the times is to muster compassion, love and grace to make a difference. That work will look different for each individual, but everyone has a way to contribute to the healing, the peace, that is so needed today. Every person can express peace and provide that gift to everyone they see, every day. By doing so, that natural, peaceful expression is established, takes root and grows in the world. It’s a meaningful part of the solution at this important time. And it shows us that the answer the world needs begins in our very hearts. Right where hopelessness tries to creep in, there is love, and the ability to build lasting peace. Each person can play a role in cultivating that framework, starting now.

— Gareth Henderson

The armor of courage and love

The sun rises over the mountains in Woodstock, Vt. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

This past weekend, a priest at a Catholic church in Ukraine told his congregation, their faith is their armor. Even after Russia began bombing the country, congregations still continued to meet in Ukraine, bolstered by faith and courage. 

“The enemy is attacking us, but we are with God, and if we are with God, who can be against us?” the priest resolutely stated, quoted on the PBS NewsHour Monday evening. The church’s choir sang out a battle hymn for Ukraine, reflecting the country’s resolve, even as it faces the first major land war in Europe in over 70 years. 

Amid war and violence, are signs that faith, courage, and dedication to one’s country are fueling many efforts to repel this invasion. Early on Monday, a line of vehicles 20 miles long on the road into Poland grows; some locals have brought food to those waiting in the seemingly endless line. All the while, the Ukrainian forces fight on, as Russian aggression continues. 

Amid war and violence, are signs that faith, courage, and dedication to one’s country are fueling many efforts to repel this invasion, and help those in need. Early on Monday, a line of vehicles 20 miles long on the road into Poland grew; some locals have brought food to those waiting in the seemingly endless line of families fleeing the conflict. All the while, the Ukrainian forces fight on, as Russian aggression continues.

After watching the news coverage in recent days, an understandable question is, Can the world repel such an invasion? More to the heart of it, Can peace and stability win? 

Over the past two years, the world has seen strong, encouraging reflections of support, love, and collective strength, where they’ve been most needed. The example of a congregation standing up, resolute, for the higher goal of faith and love, is a reminder how the human spirit can shine its brightest amid adversity. And it shows why the answer is “yes”, to the two questions posed above. 

Indeed, this represents a far stronger history than that of violence. As seen in times past, churches, organizations and other groups join together to rally around their communities and offer support in the toughest times. Today, at this moment people from around the world are praying and holding vigils in support of love. One of the greatest resources is the constant amount of prayers being offered to Ukraine worldwide, every day. This has happened amid all other challenges the world has faced, and this support has its foundation in love — a quality we all know, a power we’ve all felt.

This love, this resolve, grows and multiplies; it never diminishes. It is greater and more powerful than any bomb or military force, and it’s a force for good that won’t be turned back. This love offers protection when material resources cannot meet the present need. Love’s armor remains, as the light that still shines in darkness. Wherever we live, we have a role in sustaining that armor, by the love and support we maintain in our hearts for Ukraine. And we can know that the hearts of those who need to feel that love, will feel it, and be nurtured by it, because it knows no borders, no limits. 

The best part of history will repeat itself. Love has seen the world through its darkest hours, and it will do so again.

— Gareth Henderson

A broader view of life

A flower in bloom on the Woodstock History Center’s lawn. (Gareth Henderson Photo)

There’s a certain freedom in wandering new trails and old roads in the area, searching for fresh, new images to capture with the camera. The weather is warming up, with sunlight streaming through the trees and hills, and the occasional rain blessing the landscape. While the buds on the trees are sprouting their leaves, some of the most compelling views are on the ground, right by our feet.

That was true of tonight's featured photo, showing an elegant flower with hints of purple, soaking in hints of light on a dreary afternoon last Saturday. Its home is the Woodstock History Center's lawn, a favorite spot of mine. It's an ideal place for a quiet stroll, to take in the view of the Ottauquechee River flowing by.

Seeing nature from a broader viewpoint has great value, but so does noticing those smaller, more subtle instances of life which also make a compelling picture. That awareness requires a willingness to slow down and engage with the varied life experiences right near us, grounded in the firm foundation of life. Doing this, I’ve noticed things I might have very easily ignored or taken for granted in the past, like the subject of the photo above. That little flower, with its elegant simplicity, is a humble representative of beauty, peace, and progress. It's a reminder that, as I eagerly search for those qualities, they're abundantly being expressed all around me.

As 2021 continues to bloom, and the activities and routines we've been missing become possible once again, we can have the presence of mind to proceed with a broader view. We can remember — and engage with — the seemingly "smaller" aspects of life that bring us joy, changeless good, and meaningful peace. Those qualities have value far beyond the workings of daily life, and it’s natural for us to share that goodness with others. As we proceed through the week, that is surely the greatest gift we can offer the world.

— Gareth Henderson